Lot 4318

Description

Bactria, Kingdom of, Diodotos I, (256-239 B.C.), gold stater, (8.378 grams), Bactra (Balkh) mint, issued before 256 (Newell suggests c.255-246 B.C.), in name of Antiochus II, obv. diademed head of Diodotus I 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, wreath above, to right **BASILEWS* and to left **[A]NTIOXOU*, (S.7497, cf.Newell ESM 713 (p.246, Pl.LIII, 5), M.63 variant [p.39 Vol.I]). Well centred, minor gash in head on obverse, otherwise extremely fine and very rare.

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