RARE SELEUCID PERIOD ISSUE FROM SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS

17926. KINGDOM OF MACEDON. ALEXANDER III, 336-323 BC.

Silver tetradrachm, 16.69 g, 28 mm. Posthumous issue of Seleucia on the Tigris, ca. 305-205 BC. Obv. Head of young Heracles right in lion skin headdress. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and scepter, Attic helmet left field, KA control below throne. Price, 3782.

NGC graded VF, Strike 4/5, Surface 4/5, a rare emission with only 3 specimens of this variety listed in the Pella database -New York (ANS - 1944.100.82734), London (British Museum - 2002,0101.922) and Berlin (Münzkabinett Berlin, this from the same dies).

$ 700

17531. ATTICA. ATHENS. Ca. 510/500-480 BC.

Silver tetradrachm, 17.05 g, 24 mm. Archaic period issue.

Obv. Helmeted head of Athena right. Rev. ΑΘΕ, owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig in left field, all within incuse square. Seltman, Group G i, 159 (similar to O122/R109); HGC 4, 1590. Ex Vilmar Numismatics FPL III, no. 50.

NGC graded CHOICE VF, Strike 4/5, Surface 4/5.

$ 4500

17386. ATTICA. ATHENS. Ca. 393-294 BC, POSSIBLY COUNTERMAKED IN JERUSALEM.

Silver tetradrachm, 17.12 g, 23 mm.

Obv. Helmeted head of Athena right. Rev. AΘE, owl standing to right, olive sprig and crescent behind, all within incuse square. Kroll, -; HGC 4, 1599.

NGC graded CHOICE VF, Strike 5/5, Surface 2/5, “test cut”, “countermark, scratches”, with an exceptionally well struck lily countermark. The lily was the symbol of Jerusalem and appears early in its fourth century BC Persian-period Yehud coinage; the lily continues as the city’s civic symbol on later Hasmonean and Seleucid emissions as well. Although it is not certain that the lily countermark was applied in Jerusalem, it is almost certainly connected in some way to that area, whether it is the mark of the city itself or of an official who originated there and appropriated it as his own badge. The countermark is attested on Classical period Athenian tetradrachms, but very infrequently seen it on fourth century Athenian issues. $ 850