EGYPT, Achaemenid Province. temp. Artaxerxes III Okhos – Sabakes. Circa 343/2-333 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 16.97 g, 10h). Imitating Athens.

Electronic Auction 517
Lot: 294. Estimated: $ 300

Greek, Silver

Sold For $ 900. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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EGYPT, Achaemenid Province. temp. Artaxerxes III Okhos – Sabakes. Circa 343/2-333 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 16.97 g, 10h). Imitating Athens. Head of Athena right, with profile eye, wearing crested Corinthian helmet with pi-style palmette / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind; AΘE to right; all within incuse square. CNG 111, lot 411; otherwise, unpublished. Toned, bankers’ marks on obverse, test cuts on reverse. VF. Very rare.

This remarkable Athenian type tetradrachm combines an obverse of the earliest pi-style type with the reverse of the classical period types, but with the A of the ethnic placed high in the upper right corner, a characteristic that defied convention at Athens since the early 5th century. On closer examination, the style of the obverse die is a perfect match to those used from the Type III tetradrachms of Artaxerxes III through the Type III tetradrachms of Sabakes struck in Egypt (cf. Van Alfen, Owls, pl. 7, 121–35, and Anderson & Van Alfen pl. 50, 39-41). The style of the owl is also consistent with that found on those pieces, and the flan is of similar thick composition. The sole difference is that this coin bears the ethnic of Athens, and the reverse type is in an incuse square. While it is tempting to suggest that this may be the earliest of the imitations struck under Artaxerxes, the relative chronology of the dies in the Persian series does not support such a placement. An attractive alternative is that this coin was part of a parallel series struck under the Achaemenid administration that retained the city ethnic, perhaps to satisfy the requirements of the intended recipient of this coinage.

Closing Date and Time: 1 June 2022 at 11:37:40 ET.

All winning bids are subject to an 18% buyer’s fee.