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Session Five - Tuesday, February 14th 10:00am PST
Enlargement
1885 Baktrian Kingdom. Euthydemos I. Silver Drachm (4.00 g), ca. 230-200 BC
. Mint B (' Baktra;), ca. 206-200 BC. Diademed head of
Euthydemos I right.
Reverse:
BA
I
E
EY
Y
HMOY, Herakles seated left on rock draped with lion' s skin, supporting club set on knee; in inner
right field, PK monogram. Kritt B18; Bopearachchi 13A; SNG ANS 143-4. Wonderful Hellenistic portraiture! Lightly toned.
Choice Very Fine
.
Estimate Value .............................................................................................................................................................................$500 - 600
From the Hanbery Collection; Purchased privately from F. Kovacs in the 1980s.
1886
Baktrian Kingdom. Demetrios I. Silver Tetradrachm
(16.64 g), ca. 200-185 BC
. Diademed and draped bust of
Demetrios I right, wearing elephant' s skin headdress.
Reverse:
, Herakles standing facing, crowning
himself, holding club and lion skin. Bopearachchi 1F; SNG ANS
190.
Rare. Very Fine
.
Estimate Value ................................................ $1,000 - 1,500
The Hanbery Collection; Purchased privately from F. Kovacs in
1992. Ex CNA XXI (26 June 1992), 187.
Enlargement
1887 Baktrian Kingdom. Euthydemos II. CuNi Double Unit (8.41 g), ca. 185-180 BC
. Laureate head of Apollo right.
Reverse:
, tripod; in inner left field, monogram. Cf. Bopearachchi 6C (control); cf. SNG ANS 225 (same).
Very Rare this well preserved.
Boldly struck and well centered. Lightly toning which deepens within the recesses.
Extremely Fine
.
Estimate Value ........................................................................................................................................................................... $1,000 - UP
The Hanbery Collection; Purchased from Frank Kovacs 1980s.
Little is known about the reign of Euthydemos II in Baktria, whose youthful coin portraits have led to the conclusion that he was probably a son
and subordinate king to the conqueror of northern India, Demetrios I. Euthydemos and his apparent associate, Agathokles, are notable for their
production of coins like this, which are made from a cupro-nickel alloy. In this they were far ahead of their time. The first cupro-nickel coins were
not produced in Europe until the late nineteenth century AD. The alloy became a staple of modern coinage, often replacing silver in the mid-twen-
tieth century, and remains an important alloy for coinage to this day although it is now beginning to lose ground to cheaper nickel-plated steel.