Greek Silver & Bronze Coins
Lot 3313 SESSION 17 (11.30AM FRIDAY 1ST APRIL) Greek Silver & Bronze Coins
Estimate $750
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,000
PERSIA, Babylonia, Alexandrine Empire, (c.322-312 B.C.), silver double shekel, 23mm, (16.06 g), Babylon mint, obv. Baal seated left, holding sceptre, rev. lion walking left, **G* above, (S.6140, Nicolet-Pierre p. 291, 7, Traite -; SNG Cop. Suppl. 1240 var., [**G* retrograde]). Good very fine, very scarce, lightly toned.
Ex M.R.Roberts, with their priced ticket.
Upon finishing his expeditions to the outer limits of Asia Minor, Alexander the Great led his army eastward late in 331 BC. The metropolis of Babylon was surrendered by its satrap, Mazaeus, whom Alexander rewarded with the local governorship. Alexander made Babylon his royal seat, and there established one of his most important mints, from which a large quantity of regular Alexandrine or 'imperial' coinages were struck, including the impressive dekadrachms of circa 327/6 BC. In addition to the imperial' coinages, Babylon also produced a substantial group of local coinages, some of which initially bore the name of Mazaeus, but which continued without the name of a satrap after his death in 328 B.C. Silver coinage is represented by lion staters and at least three smaller denominations, all bearing a seated Baal on the obverse and a standing lion on the reverse. The staters initially were struck to the weight of the Attic tetradrachm, but eventually were reduced to the lighter Persic standard of the Babylonian shekel. Though initiated under Mazaeus, silver coinages were produced for decades, with the final silver coins probably being struck circa 288/7 BC under Seleukos I.
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Adjacent lots
Lot 3311
SYRIA, kingdom of, Philip Philadelphos, (93-83 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, posthumous issue c.69-57 B.C., (14.55 g), ...
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Lot 3312
SYRIA, Kingdom of, Philip Philadelphos, (95/4-76/5 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, (15.03 g), posthumous issue of c.69-57 ...
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Lot 3313 This lot
PERSIA, Babylonia, Alexandrine Empire, (c.322-312 B.C.), silver double shekel, 23mm, (16.06 g), Babylon mint, obv. ...
Estimate $750
Lot 3314
PARTHIA, Kingdom of, Vologases III, (c.A.D. 105-147), silver drachm, (2.82 g), Ecbatana mint, obv. medium ...
Estimate $100
Lot 3315
ELYMAIS, Kingdom of, Kamnaskires VI, (c.A.D. late 1st - early 2nd century A.D.), AE drachm ...
Estimate $150