AR Obol, 8 mm, 0.55 g, Samaria mint before BCE 108
SC 2394 v., SNG Spaer 2763, CSE II 781
O: diad. hd of Antiochus IX r. with short curly beard, diadem ends falling straight behind, dotted border.
R: BAΣI reading downward on r., [AN ΦI] reading upward on l. (off flan). Athena stg., l., holding Nike and resting hand on shield, spear behind, dotted border.
EX: Heritage World Coin Auction, Signature Sale 357 (9 September 2004) lot 12020 [Seleukid Kingdom. Antiochos IX Kyzikenos. 114/3-96/5 B.C. AR obol (8 mm, 0.55 g). Uncertain southern mint, perhaps in Coele-Syria. Diademed head right / Athena standing left, holding Nike in right hand, spear in left; shield resting against her. SNG Spaer 2763-4; G. Macdonald, "Seltene und unedierte Seleukidenmünzen," ZfN (1912), p. 89. Toned, good VF. Extremely rare.]
In Macdonald’s article from 1912, the type was considered “neu”, but as Arthur Houghton wrote in AJN 12 (2000) in his very interesting note “A Mint of Antiochus IX at Samaria-Sebaste?” that “…the author is personally aware of the existence of…at least sixteen obols, most of which have appeared in the last decade.”(p. 108)
Acquisition: 2009
Tantalus ID#35519
