Maison Palombo Geneve

Auction 17  –  20 October 2018

Maison Palombo Geneve, Auction 17

Ancient and World Coins and Medals

Sa, 20.10.2018, from 10:30 AM CEST
The auction is closed.

Description

Syrie - Seleucos I Nikator (312-281) Tétradrachme - Suse (304-297) D’un style et d’une qualité remarquable. D’une beauté incroyable. Exemplaire de la collection Abecassis vente Leu 81 du 16 Mai 2001, N°323 et de la collection Spina vente Nomos 1 du 6 mai 2009, N°117 17.06g - SC 173.4 - Kraay/Hirmer 740 FDC Exceptionnel - CHOICE MS * Whether this helmeted hero is Alexander the Great, Seleucus, or simply a personification of Dionysos, remains debated (see O.D. Hoover, “The Identity of the Helmeted Head on the ‘Victory’ Coinage of Susa”, SNR 81 (2002), pp. 51-60; id., Handbook of Syrian Coins, Lancaster PA 2009), but an idealized image of Seleucus seems most likely. By fighting Chandragupta in 304 BC (which led to his gift of some 500 war elephants that would play an important role at the Battle of Ipsos, against Antigonos, in 301 BC), Seleucus had proven himself a true diadoch, a successor of Alexander, following in the footsteps of his conquests in India. The reverse is martial as well, as this realistic Nike crowning a trophy is undoubtedly inspired by the issues of the tyrant Agathocles in Syracuse. Though it had been assumed that it commemorated a victory in the East or in the Upper Satrapies, the fact that the trophy is built from Macedonian arms (the Vergina Sun – or Argead Star - being embla- zoned on the shield) renders it implausible.

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Bidding

Price realized 75'000 CHF
Starting price 70'000 CHF
Estimate 80'000 CHF
The auction is closed.
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