Sale: CNG 70, Lot: 454. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 21 September 2005.  Sold For $650. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of BAKTRIA. Diodotos I or Diodotos II as co-regent. Circa 255-235 BC. Æ Double Unit (7.27 g, 6h). Aï Khanoum mint. Head of Hermes right, wearing petasos / Crossed caducei with ring at crossing; c/m: anchor. Kritt AK-5, p. 152, coin 2 (this coin); Holt Series G, Group 1; Bopearachchi -; SNG ANS -; SC 623 (this coin referenced). Good VF, some smoothing and tooling. Very rare. ($200)

This countermark was applied during the eastern campaigns of the Seleukid king Antiochos III against the Baktrian king Euthydemos I. This is one of only five coins whose existence strongly suggest that the Seleukid king had captured Aï Khanoum during this campaign (see Kritt p. 152-158, and Kritt, "Coinage of Antiochos III in Bactria," AJN 12, pp. 93-101).