| Heritage Auctions Europe / MPO Auctions > Auction 86 | Auction date: 19 May 2025 |
| Lot number: 3807 Price realized: 55 EUR (Approx. 62 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: The East - The Indo-Greek Kingdom - Menander (ca. 160-145 BC) - AR Drachm (2) (2.31 and 2.28g) - Diademed heroic bust to left, wearing aegis and brandishing spear left / Athena Promachos standing left, brandishing thunderbolt and aegis, monogram right (HGC 12,184 / Bop. 3 / Mitch. 220) - Lot of 2 drachms, gVF Starting price: 40 EUR |  |
Match 1:
| VAuctions > NBJ Auction 16 | Auction date: 28 October 2025 |
| Lot number: 55 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: Kings of Baktria: Menander I Soter, 155 - 30 BC, AR Silver Drachm, Obverse: Diademed heroic bust of Menander left seen from behind wearing aegis and brandishing spear. Reverse: Athena advancing left brandishing thunderbolt and shield decorated with gorgoneion, monogram in left field. (2.47gm, 16mm), Good Very Fine. Estimate: 100 USD Starting price: 50 USD |  |
Match 2:
| VAuctions > NBJ Auction 16 | Auction date: 28 October 2025 |
| Lot number: 56 Price realized: 50 USD (Approx. 43 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Kings of Baktria: Menander I Soter, 155 - 30 BC. AR Silver Drachm. Obverse: Diademed heroic bust of Menander left seen from behind wearing aegis and brandishing spear. Reverse: Athena advancing left brandishing thunderbolt and shield decorated with gorgoneion, monogram in left field. (2.42gm, 18mm), Near Extremely Fine. Estimate: 100 USD Starting price: 50 USD |  |
Match 3:
| The Coin Cabinet > Ancients Auction 23 | Auction date: 26 June 2025 |
| Lot number: 90 Price realized: 50 GBP (Approx. 68 USD / 59 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: ANCIENT GREECE. INDO-GREEK KINGDOM. Menander I 'Soter'. Silver Drachm, circa 155-130 BC. Obv: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ, diademed bust left, wielding spear, aegis on shoulder. Rev: 'Maharajasa tratarasa Menamdrasa' in Kharosthi, Athena Alkidemos standing to right, hurling thunderbolt and holding aegis; monogram to left. Good Very Fine. Reference: Bopearachchi-6C; Mitchiner-221d; SNG ANS-715-21; HGC 12, 187 corr. (illustration numbered 188). Die Axis: 1h. Diameter: 18 mm. Weight: 2.44 g. Estimate: 50 GBP |  |
Match 4:
| VAuctions > NBJ Auction 16 | Auction date: 28 October 2025 |
| Lot number: 52 Price realized: 70 USD (Approx. 60 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Indo Greek Kingdom: Menander I (c.165/55–130 BC). AR Silver Drachm. diademed draped bust of Menander I right, wearing crested Boeotian helmet adorned with aegis. Karosthi inscription, Athena, viewed from behind, advancing left, brandishing thunderbolt in raised right hand and holding shield on left arm, monogram to right. (2.43gm, 19mm), Extremely Fine. Estimate: 150 USD Starting price: 70 USD |  |
Match 5:
| Nomos AG > obolos 37 | Auction date: 17 May 2025 |
| Lot number: 167 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Menander I, circa 165/55-130 BC. Drachm (Silver, 17.5 mm, 2.21 g, 12 h). ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ Diademed heroic bust of Menander I to left, brandishing spear and wearing aegis over shoulder. Rev. Athena Alkidemos advancing to right, holding thunderbolt in right hand and shield in left; to left field, monogram. Bopearachchi 6a. HGC 12, 187. SNG ANS 702-714. Toned. Minor marks, otherwise, fine. From the Collection of Prof. James M. Collier, acquired in Dublin in 1991. This lot is sold to benefit the Collier Prize in Ancient Numismatics offered by the American Numismatic Society. Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
Match 6:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Auction 130 | Auction date: 23 September 2025 |
| Lot number: 290 Price realized: 1,300 USD (Approx. 1,102 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Menander I Soter. Circa 155-130 BC. Æ Sixteen Unit (29x32mm, 41.02 g, 12h). Square module. Helmeted and draped bust of Athena right / Horse rearing right; monogram below. Bopearachchi Série 24 (monogram unlisted), but cf. 13E (AR drachm); Bopearachchi & Rahman – SNG ANS –; MIG –; Zeno –; HGC 12, 199; CNG 115, lot 408. Brown surfaces, roughness. VF. Extremely rare monogram for this denomination. From the Plus 20 Collection. Ex Klaus Grigo Collection (Gorny & Mosch 297, 9 October 2023), lot 300. Menander I Soter, known as Melinda in Indian lore, is likely the most famous Greek ruler of the far east, and is the only one whose reign left an indelible imprint on Indian historical traditions. His reign overlapped and extended beyond that of Eukratides I Megas in Baktria, apparently beginning circa 155 BC in the northern Punjab. His was reputedly born near Sagala (modern Sialkot, Pakistan) and later made that city his capital. How he rose to power is unrecorded, but he successfully resisted the efforts of Eukratides to invade and absorb this region in about 150 BC. When Eukratides was assassinated in 145 BC, Menander counter-invaded and seized all of that king's Indian possessions. Ultimately he ruled a large swath of northern India that extended as far south as the Hindu holy city of Mathura. An enduring tradition paints Menander as a convert to Buddhism, and a long conversation between the king and a Buddhist sage named Nagasena is recorded in a text called the Melinda Panha ("Questions of Melinda"). He is described as "learned, eloquent, wise, and able, and a faithful observer... of all the various acts of devotion and ceremony" required by the faith. "Many were the arts and sciences he knew... as a disputant he was hard to equal, harder still to overcome." It concludes, "as in wisdom so in strength of body, swiftness, and valour there was found none equal to Melinda in all India. He was rich too, mighty in wealth and prosperity, and the number of his armed hosts knew no end." Estimate: 750 USD |  |
