Antiochos IV Epiphanes: the only living person with his head on a Macedonian shield boss... oh, and son of Antiochos lll The Great and father of Antiochos V

[Ryro]

Antiochos IV Epiphanes:

Born Mithradates, he would change his name to Antiochos, after his great father's, Antiochos III, death:

Antiochos III 'the Great', 222-187 BC. Ae (bronze, 5.65 g, 21 mm). Military mint in Coele-Syria, circa 202-187 BC. Macedonian shield with facing gorgoneion in central boss. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑNΤΙΟΧΟΥ Elephant walking to right; anchor above. SC 1089.1; HGC 9, 490. Nearly very fine.

And that of his brother, the king at that time Seleucus IV, and then usurping his brothers son Demetrius I:

Demetrios I Soter. 162-150 B.C. AE 17 serrate (16.84 mm, 3.90 g, 11 h). Antioch on the Orontes mint. Head of horse left / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY, head of elephant right. SC 1646; SNG Spaer 1299-1304. Good VF.
Purchased from Elkowicz Sept 2021

Don't forget Demetrios Soter was named after great grand dad, Demetrios Poliorketes *shameless pretext to show more MSCs:

Uncertain mint. Demetrios I Poliorketes 306-283 BC. Crescent

Bronze Æ, 18 mm, 4,40 g

Macedon, Pella, Demetrios Poliorketes (306-283 BC) AE (bronze, 4,47 g, 18 mm)

Obv: Macedonian shield with ΔHΡ monogram of Demetrios

Rev: BA-ΣI, Macedonian helmet with cheek flaps. Labyrs between bushel and helmet left

Ref: SNG Munich 1069

*a little quarter unit to show that I care

Many forget Demetrios Poliorketes  daughter, Stratonice,

married Seleukos I

and gave him many kids including future King Antiochus ll. Ironically, Seleukos' father in law was twenty years his junior!

Antiochos IV Epiphanes was famous for almost taking Ptolemaic Egypt, his persecution of the Jews, leading to the rebellion of the Jewish Maccabees and giving himself the moniker Epiphanes (God Manifest). Yeah, he was kind of a big creep. He had some other peculiar habits that led the common people to refer to him as "The Mad".

(Antiochos IV would die an ignominious death on his way home from a failed campaign in Parthia and another failed attempt in Judea, bleeding the Seleucid empire)

If you've made it this far, then thanks, and here is my big win from today's Sol auction. The Mad Seleucid himself on the boss of a MSC!

Antiochos IV Epiphanes, 175-164 BC. Ae (bronze, 8.27 g, 21 mm), Alexandria by Issos. Radiate and diademed head of Antiochos IV to right on central boss of a Macedonian shield. Rev. AΛEΞANΔPΕΩN Zeus standing facing, head to left, holding wreath in his right hand; two monograms to left. HGC 9, 653; SC 1392. Good fine. Rare.

 

Thanks for reading and please share your coins of this Seleucid King, any of the people mentioned above, MSCs, or what ever you like!

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Ryro

[ominus1]

..very kool Ryro...i've been neglecting my Greek collection  and i stopped bidding on the Antiochous's a while back put i could at any moment take up where i left off.  kool song by Gerry Raferty with stealers wheel...but he ain't in the vid...i pulled up bakers street....talented and troubled...aint it a bitch...:D

[Ryro]

14 hours ago, ominus1 said:

..very kool Ryro...i've been neglecting my Greek collection  and i stopped bidding on the Antiochous's a while back put i could at any moment take up where i left off.  kool song by Gerry Raferty with stealers wheel...but he ain't in the vid...i pulled up bakers street....talented and troubled...aint it a bitch...:D

Thanks my man. Being a Gemini I love the Dioscuri caps. And being a liar I love the instrument on the reverse of your Antiochos II.

Here's a pretty fun hidden in plain site MAC that I didn't have an excuse to post:

Seleukos II Kallinikos. 246-225 BC. Ae (3.22 g, 15 mm). Uncertain mint, associated with Antioch. Diademed head right. Rev. Horse trotting left; below, round shield embossed with anchor. SC 716; HGC 9, 351. Nearly very fine.

[Celator]

Antiochus IV
Mint: Ecbatana
Denomination B
175 to 164 BC
Obvs: Obvs: Elephant right with mahout, dotted border. Control on right.
Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right ANTIOXOY on left, Nike advancing right holding fileted wreath. Control inner right and Π in exergue.
AE 23mm, 8.21g
Ref: SC 1554.2a; HGC 9, 677(R2)

That was in my watch list, last time I saw one was about 5 years ago. A few interesting types in that auction. Instead I bought the coin below from the same seller.

 

Antiochus I Soter
Mint: Antioch
281 to 261 BC
Obvs: Macedonian shield with Seleukid anchor in central boss.
Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY, Horned elephant walking right. ME monogram and club above, jawbone in exergue. Counter mark above elephant.
AE 18x19mm, 6.37g
Ref: SC 339.4; HGC 9, 148(S)

[Ryro]

46 minutes ago, Celator said:

Antiochus IV
Mint: Ecbatana
Denomination B
175 to 164 BC
Obvs: Obvs: Elephant right with mahout, dotted border. Control on right.
Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right ANTIOXOY on left, Nike advancing right holding fileted wreath. Control inner right and Π in exergue.
AE 23mm, 8.21g
Ref: SC 1554.2a; HGC 9, 677(R2)

That was in my watch list, last time I saw one was about 5 years ago. A few interesting types in that auction. Instead I bought the coin below from the same seller.

 

Antiochus I Soter
Mint: Antioch
281 to 261 BC
Obvs: Macedonian shield with Seleukid anchor in central boss.
Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY, Horned elephant walking right. ME monogram and club above, jawbone in exergue. Counter mark above elephant.
AE 18x19mm, 6.37g
Ref: SC 339.4; HGC 9, 148(S)

WoWiE! That Soter is cherry! Thanks for sharing. And sorry you didn't get that crazy nice elephant from Ecbatana. 

Here's some of mine:

One with the popular countermark (you gotta wonder why they countermark a coin with an anchor on the front with another one on the back?)

and a fun little quarter unit:

Edited March 6, 2023 by Ryro

[kapphnwn]

Antiochos IV Epiphanes Ar Tetradrachm Antioch 168-164 BC Obv Head right diademed Rv Zeus Nikephoros seated left holding Nike in  outstretched right hand and scepter in left  SC 1400 HGC 620a 16.86 grms 32 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Ex Nelson Bunker Hunt Collection. The only time I ever impressed my mother with my collecting was when she saw an engraved invitation from Sotheby's inviting me to attend this auction. 

[Celator]

10 hours ago, Ryro said:

WoWiE! That Soter is cherry! Thanks for sharing. And sorry you didn't get that crazy nice elephant from Ecbatana. 

Here's some of mine:

One with the popular countermark (you gotta wonder why they countermark a coin with an anchor on the front with another one on the back?)

and a fun little quarter unit:

The Ecbatana is mine, I was saying I took the 339 over the 1392. 

Those countermarks were meant to cover up the control for that series as either a way to redenominate or to undo that magistrates striking.