Lot 1689

Description

Bactria, Kingdom of, Diodotos II, (256-239 B.C.), gold stater, (8.270 grams), Bactra (Balkh) mint; (Newell suggests c.255-246 B.C.), in name of Antiochus II, obv. diademed head of Diodotus II to right, dotted border, rev. Zeus striding to left, aegis on his extended left arm, wielding a thunderbolt, at his feet an eagle to left, N above, to right **BASILEWS* and to left **ANTIOXOY*, (S.7497, Newell ESM 713 (p.246, Pl.LIII, 5), M.66b [p.40 Vol.I]). Slightly off centred on the obverse, otherwise nearly extremely fine and very rare.

From a recent find which, it is claimed, contained a number of examples of this rarity.