| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149 | Auction date: 2 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 35 Price realized: 2,750 CHF (Approx. 3,098 USD / 2,959 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Antiochos II Theos, 261 – 246 Tetradrachm, Kyme circa 261-246, AR 28 mm, 16.92 g. Diademed head of Antiochus I, rejuvenated features. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ – ANTIOXOY Heracles seated l. on lion skin draped over rocks, r. hand resting on grounded club; one handled cup in outer l. field, AP monogram below royal name, ΦTI monogram below royal title. In exergue, E MYΩ monogram. WSM 1522. SC 505.2a. Rare. Lovely iridescent tone, minor brushing marks in field, otherwise good very fine / about extremely fine Ex M&M 76, 1991, 829 and Heritage 232317, 2023, 64100 sales. When Antiochus I died in 261 BC, and he was succeeded by his son Antiochus II history repeated itself. Believing the power of Antiochus II to be weak in the West-he had been coruler with his father with responsibility for the Upper Satrapies since 266 BC-Ptolemy II Philadelphus embarked upon the Second Syrian War (261-253 BC) in the hope of expanding the Ptolemaic empire at the new king's expense. This turned out to be a serious miscalculation. Ptolemy II initially threatened Antioch and captured parts of coastal Cilicia, but Antiochus II soon turned the war around, detaching important cities in coastal Asia Minor from Ptolemaic control, including Miletus , Ephesus, and Samos. At Miletus he was even haled as Theos ("God") for his removal of a local tyrant who had ruled the city with Ptolemaic support. In addition to these successes in western Asia Minor, over the course of the war Antiochus II also strengthened his control of Pamphylia and Cilicia, expanded his authority into Troas. A campaign into Thrace that probably took place after the conclusion of the Second Syrian War also gained the city of Lysimachia and rooted out Ptolemaic influence in the region. Unfortunately, the western expansion of Antiochus II did not come without cost. In northern Asia Minor Cappadocia was detached from the Seleucid kingdom by its own native kings, although these maintained a marriage alliance with Antiochus II. More seriously, Antiochus' western focus allowed the important eastern satrapies of Parthyene and Bactria to begin slipping from Seleucid control. Most fatal, however, was the peace settlement that ended the Second Syrian War. Under the terms of the treaty between Antiochus II and Ptolemy II, the former was to repudiate his wife Laodice and marry instead Ptolemy's daughter Berenice, who brought with her a great dowry. The offspring of Antiochus II and Berenice would thenceforth be considered the legitimate scions of the Seleucid dynasty. Laodice thenceforth took up residence at Ephesus while Berenice lived at Antioch, where she gave birth to a son. In 246 BC, Antiochus II was in Ephesus, possibly having abandoned his Ptolemaic bride and seeking a reconciliation with Laodice when he suddenly died. It was widely suspected that he had been the victim of poison administered by his first wife, who immediately took action to destroy Berenice and her child once Antiochus II was no more. Graded XF strike 5/5, surface 2/5 – Fine style, brushed, NGC certification number 6607613-011 Estimate: 2000 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149 | Auction date: 2 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 42 Price realized: 1,400 CHF (Approx. 1,577 USD / 1,506 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Antiochos II Theos, 261 – 246 Tetradrachm, Istrus circa 261-246, AR 28 mm, 17.06 g. Diademed head of Antiochus II r. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ – [Α]ΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ Apollo seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow in r. hand and resting l. arm on grounded bow; in exergue, dolphin and IΣ. SC Ad112 (Lampsacus). Black Sea Hoard 421 (these dies). Very rare and struck on a very unusual and interesting double edged flan. Minor area of weakness on reverse, otherwise good very fine Estimate: 1500 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149 | Auction date: 2 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 39 Price realized: 1,300 CHF (Approx. 1,464 USD / 1,399 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Antiochos II Theos, 261 – 246 Tetradrachm, Aegae circa 261-246, AR 29 mm, 17.09 g. Diademed head of Antiochus I r., rejuvenated. Rev. BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ – ANTIOXOY Apollo Delphios seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow in r. hand and resting l. hand on grounded bow; in l. field, head of goat and in exergue, ΠA and ΔH monograms. SNG Spear –. WSM 1511. IGCH VIII 321, pl. XL, n. 17 (this coin illustrated). SC 495.2a. Very rare and in unusually good condition for this difficult issue. An interesting portrait struck on a large flan. Good very fine Ex Künker sale 347, 2021, 773. Privately purchased from Spink in 2001 and from the Walter Wise collection. Although most of the tetradrachm coinages issued by cities of western Asia Minor under Antiochus II feature a distinct reverse type depicting Heracles resting at the end of his labors, this issue of Aegae in Aeolis employs the Seleucid dynastic reverse type established for silver coinage under his predecessor Antiochus I Soter. The image of Apollo seated on the omphalos and testing an arrow was intended to recall the tradition that Seleucus I Nicator was really a son of Apollo and that his dynasty was descended from this god. The use of a mint mark symbol is in keeping with the general custom of the cities of western Asia Minor under Antiochus II. The goat's head in the left field is a punning reference to the city's Greek name. Aigos is the Greek word for "goat." Estimate: 1000 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149 | Auction date: 2 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 37 Price realized: 3,000 CHF (Approx. 3,379 USD / 3,228 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Antiochos II Theos, 261 – 246 Tetradrachm, Phocaea circa 261-246, AR 30 mm, 17.13 g. Diademed head of Antiochus I r., elderly to middle ages, with full hair and aquiline nose. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ – ANTIOXOY Apollo seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow in r. hand, resting l. hand on grounded bow to r. behind; in l. field, forepart of griffin l. and in outer r. field, APT monogram. SC 508. Extremely rare for this mint. A wonderful portrait struck in high relief on fresh metal and with a lovely iridescent tone. Good extremely fine Ex Heritage sale 3076, 2019, 33112. Graded AU strike 5/5, surface 3/5, NGC certification number 4884088-003. Estimate: 1000 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149 | Auction date: 2 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 45 Price realized: 1,400 CHF (Approx. 1,577 USD / 1,506 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Antiochos II Theos, 261 – 246 Tetradrachm, Ecbatana circa 261-246, AR 28 mm, 17.05 g. Diademed head of Antiochus II r. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ – ANTIOXOY Apollo seated l. on omphalos, slight drapery on r. thigh, holding three arrows in r. hand, l. hand resting on bow; in l. field, HΔΣΩ monogram and horse grazing at feet, above, KPA monogram. Newell, ESM 541. SNG Spaer –. SC 607c. Rare. Very fine Ex Heritage sale 232302, 2023, 6290 (misattributed). Graded AU strike 5/5, surface 3/5 – brushed, NGC certification number 6061197-018. Estimate: 350 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Numismatica Ars Classica > Auction 149 | Auction date: 2 December 2024 |
| Lot number: 46 Price realized: 2,250 CHF (Approx. 2,534 USD / 2,421 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Antiochos II Theos, 261 – 246 Tetradrachm, Antiochia circa 256-246, AR 28 mm, 16.94 g. Diademed head of Antiochus II r. Rev. BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ – ANTIOXOY Apollo seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow in r. hand and resting l. arm on grounded bow, seated l. on omphalos; in l. field, ΛE monogram and in r. field, ΔI monogram of within circle. CSE 37. Le Rider 65. Kraay-Hirmer 744. SNG Spaer 335. WSM 971 (this coin). SC 571.4b. Wonderful old cabinet tone, several minor marks and traces of double striking on reverse, otherwise good very fine Ex Egger 20, 1908, 579; Ars Classica X, 1925, 890; A. Poinsignon 3, 1982, 216 and Vinchon 26 April 1999, 236 sales. From the Baron Alexandre von Petrowicz. Estimate: 300 CHF |  |
