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Research Coins: Electronic Auction

 
177, Lot: 127. Estimate $200.
Sold for $441. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Antiochos VIII Epiphanes (Grypos). 121/0-97/6 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 4.12 g, 12h). Tarsos mint. 2nd reign at Tarsos, circa 112-96 BC. Diademed head right / Sandan standing right on back of horned, winged animal standing right; two monograms to outer left. Babelon, Rois -; SNG Spaer -; Houghton 491 var. (upper monogram). VF, light porosity. Rare.


During Antiochos VIII's reign the mint of Taros ceased production of all Seleukid-type coinage. Grypos lost control of the city to Antiochos IX Kyzikenos in 114/3-112 BC, during which Kyzikenos apparently promoted Me- to the primary position at the mint, evidenced by that magistrate’s ME monogram becoming the primary control on the coinage. After Grypos recovered the mint in 112 BC, he retained Me- in his position, as well as the highly skilled die engraver also installed by Kyzikenos. The dies used for these issues of Grypos are among the finest at Tarsos in the late Seleukid period.