CNG 109, Lot: 212. Estimate $300. Sold for $240. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SELEUKID EMPIRE. Seleukos I Nikator. 312-281 BC. AR Obol (9mm, 0.66 g, 12h). Uncertain mint. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / AΛEΞANΔPOY (blundered), Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; monogram in left field, uncertain control below throne. SC –; Price 3795 corr. = BM 2002,0101.928 (control marks, Karrhai[?] mint); cf. HGC 9, 53; CNG E-407, lot 62. VF, toned. Extremely rare, only two examples previously published.

From the MNL Collection. Ex Roma E-Sale 17 (25 April 2015), lot 194.

Price 3791-5 were omitted from SC, but the style of the tetradrachms is identical to SC Ad10, which has the same control marks as Price 3792 (and 3793, but that is an erroneous entry in Price), suggesting that the issues in the name of Alexander were likely earlier issues under Seleukos I from whatever mint issued Ad10 (as is seen at other mints). The attribution to a mint in the far east of the Seleukid empire seems to have been predicated on the style of the SC Ad10 example, which was poorly preserved, and the fact that that coin was found in a far eastern hoard. In contrast, the style of the coins in Alexander’s name is quite refined, suggesting a mint located in the central or western regions, although none are attributable to any known hoards. Interestingly, there is no information regarding Price’s placement of this group among the issues he tentatively assigns to Karrhai.