Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 455. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Pakoros I. 50 BC. AR Drachm (3.87 gm). Ekbatana mint. Diademed bust left; Nike flying left behind, crowning him / BASIL[EWS] BASILE[WN AR-SAKOU E]UERGETOU DIKAIOU EPIFANOUS FILELLHNOS, Arsakes I seated right on throne, holding bow; crescent behind, monogram below bow. Sellwood 48.9; Shore 261; BMC Parthia pg. 97, 1; MACW -. Toned VF, a few light scrapes under tone. ($5000)

Ex Fred B. Shore Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 36, 5-6 December 1995), lot 267.

Pakoros was a son of Orodes II, who was sent on a cavalry raid into Roman Syria by his father. Before a battle occurred, he was recalled by Orodes, accused of plotting to use his force to overthrow his father. Pakoros and his father were soon reconciled. This very rare coin issue of his is believed to have occurred in conjunction with these events. Pakoros never lived to succeed his father, as he was killed in battle by the Romans in 38 BC, while assisting the Roman Quintus Labienus in Asia Minor (see lot 447). A minting date shortly before his death is unlikely since he would have been old enough to be represented with a beard at that date, as beards were customary traits of adult Parthian men at the time. We know that Pakoros was married before the raid into Syria in 51 BC and was old enough for his father to suspect him of treason. These facts, and his accomplishments after that date, indicate that only in or before circa 50 BC is it likely that he would be young enough to be depicted beardless.