Troas, Larissa-Ptolemais AE 21mm.

AT (Ādurbādagān) mint. Bust to right, wearing crown, frontal crescent, and korymbos set on crescent / Fire altar with ribbons; flanked by two attendants; star and crescent flanking flames. SNS III, type IIa/1e. 4.17gr, 28mm, 3h.

Near Very Fine.

Acquired on the UK market before 2000. Property of a London, UK, gentleman.

Male head to right, wearing laureate and crested Attic helmet / AN-TI, bull butting to right. Cf. SC 354 (Apollo; perhaps Antioch on the Orontes); Roma Numismatics, e-Sale 112, 529 (hammer: 850 GBP); otherwise unpublished. 1.56gr, 12mm, 10h.

Good Very Fine. Nice green patina. Exceedingly Rare; the second known example and of considerable numismatic importance.

Acquired at European coin market. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.

The closest example to our coin is this of SC 354 (=SNG Spaer 216). Although the obverse is described as Apollo, it is nevertheless very worn. Upon closer examination one could see that the two coins share the same type. According to SC 354 note 'The Kritt specimen shows an apparent helmet crest behind Apollo's head, perhaps evidence for overstriking on an earlier variety featuring Athena'. SC's suggestion of Antioch as a possible mint is repeated from SNG Spaer. The reverse is similar to those from Seleukeia ad Tigrim but the fabric is quite different (cf. Brian Kritt, From Aï Khanoum to Samarqand. Seleucid Coins in Central Asia, pl. 8). Our coin is more reminiscent of western mints, but the identification of a specific mint is still impracticable. The most interesting feature, however, is the mysterious face depicted on the obverse, whose parallel example cannot be found in the references.

Veiled head of Demeter to right / ΑΔΑΝΕΩΝ, horse prancing to left; to left monogram of ΔΙΧΟ and in exergue, monogram of ΔΟΥ. Cf. SNG BN 1851-3 (monograms); cf. SNG Levante 1211. 5.62gr, 18mm, 12h.

Very Fine.

Ex Münzzentrum Rheinland. Property of a Kent, UK, gentleman.