Lot 378
Sinatruces (93/2-70/69 BC, intermittently), Silver "mule" Drachm, 4.19g, 12h. Sinatruces (93/2-70/69 BC, intermittently), Silver "mule" Drachm, 4.19g, 12h. Minted at Ecbatana or Rhagae. Long bearded bust left in diadem bound tiara, decorated with a horn on side and a row of recumbent stags around the crest, pellet ended spiral torque, dotted border. Rev. Archer enthroned right, five-line inscription ??S???OS ??S???ON ??G???Y ??S???Y ??IF?NOYS (Mithradates II) (S 33.1/S 28.1). About very fine. Unique. As the older son of Mithradates I the Great, Sinatruces challenged the reigning Arsaces, Mithradates II the Great, around 93/2 BC with the aid of his Scythian allies, the Sacaraucae. He successfully annexed the eastern and central Parthian satrapies, including Elymais with its principle mint at Susa, and began to issue coins, styling himself NIKATOPOS "the Victor". The coin in this lot indicates that the two Parthian workshops at Ecbatana and Rhagae either concurrently struck Drachms for both Arsacid contenders or that as the dynastic struggle went on, some dies moved between the two mints. For further reading on the historical implications of this "mule" drachm see: Assar G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 B.C.", Parthica 8 (2007/8), 55-104 (at 145-149) and also: Assar G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 B.C.", Parthica 8 (2007/8), 55-104 (at 55-62).
Estimated Value $1,200-UP.
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| Realized $1,521 |
