30.2 Tetradrachm

[merveil]

Hi! I recently bought my first Parthian coin. And I started with a rather rare beast - a 30.2 tetradrachm pictured below:

 

Since I'm new to this time period, I have a lot of questions on my mind - here are some of them:

1. I bought the coin from a legit auction house but they don't handle many Parthian pieces. If you see any red flags regarding its authenticity, I'd love to hear about them!

2. I read somewhere that monograms on tets from that period may have referred to the provincial governor at the time. Does the "KR" monogram on this coin have known meaning or is it one of many Parthian mysteries?

3. While researching the coin, I saw 2 other type 30 tetradrachms with a similar kind of graffiti in the field. I wonder of it could be, perhaps, some accounting system from the period? Or maybe the person who found a hoard of them was bored and started doodling 🙂

4. Finally, which attribution do you find most convincing? Do you think it's an unknown king or an alternative portrait for one of the monarchs known by name?

I'm looking forward to your answers and any comments you want to make. Thank you in advance for taking the time!

[Sol_Invictus]

Welcome to the forum, and what a first coin for a Parthian! I am no expert on these, and can’t speak to the authenticity or other issues that you raised, but just wanted to note that your coin looks similar to this one https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=157120 which CNG attributed to Artabanos II. It has the same reverse monogram as well.

[Alwin]

1- No red flag
2- ...one of many Parthian mysteries
3- Test silver
4- http://www.parthika.fr/Chronologie.html

[John Conduitt]

A lot of Parthian kings are unknown even if they are named, and the attributions could be any of several. The same names come up a lot, so any disagreement messes with the regnal numbers all the way through. You have a confusing situation where the same coin can be attributed to Pacorus I, Pacorus II, Vologases II or Vologases III. Some people just go with the latest research. But to be safe, the name becomes secondary and the coin is Sellwood 30.2.

[Parthicus]

Welcome @merveil!  That's quite a nice first Parthian coin.  I've been known to dabble a bit in Parthian coins myself 😀, and I would be proud to own that coin.  Assar, in the Sunrise catalogue, attributes this type to "Arsakes XVI (78-77- 62/61 BC in Parthia, Mar./Apr. 75- 67/66 BC in Babylonia) whose name is not preserved in the contemporary and later sources."  Unfortunately, this coin is from one of the more confused portions of Parthian history, so a definitive attribution will probably never be possible.  I'd just call it Sellwood 30.2, and probably add Assar's claim with a whole bunch of question marks around it.  Please keep asking questions- there are a lot of us here interested in Parthian coins, and there's plenty to discuss.

[Kamnaskires]

Lovely coin. One of my favorite Parthian types. Congrats, and welcome!

[Sulla80]

Welcome and congrats on your interesting Tetradrachm! You've found a good place to share coins, notes, and tap into a wealth of experts.  I'll share a drachm of Arsakes XVI that may be the same king : Parthia, Arsakes XVI, AR Drachm, (not Margiane but Rhagae) mint Ref: Sellwood 30.20/21 (Thanks to @Alwin I no longer have doubt about the mint - MP-ΓΑΛΟY with a spelling error & a long sleeve on the archer's cloak)

 

Edited May 8 by Sulla80

[merveil]

Wow, thank you all for a warm welcome and sharing your knowledge! I had spent quite some time researching this tet but that's no match for years of experience.

Initially I was looking for a more common coin but I managed to get this beauty for under 200 USD (including all fees and shipping). I couldn't say no to that 🙂

I find it quite alluring that Parthian coins can be so difficult to attribute. I like the mystery, I like the challenge but I also like that it clashes with the human instinct to put everything into a definitive category and "own" it. All the question marks help me see past it and appreciate this coin as a fascinating historical and artistic object that I'm temporarily a custodian for.

Well, that's the first Parthian coin in my house but I don't think it will be the last!

[merveil]

1 hour ago, Sulla80 said:

Welcome and congrats on your interesting Tetradrachm! You've found a good place to share coins, notes, and tap into a wealth of experts.  I'll share a drachm of Arsakes XVI that may be the same king : Parthia, Arsakes XVI, AR Drachm, Margiane mint Ref: Sellwood 30.20/21 (I have some doubt on the mint - the right hand legend on the reverse is throwing me off: HP-ΓΑΛΟ?)

That's a beautiful coin, I love the sharp portrait! (That said, I'm glad mine is less attractive as otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it 😉 )

Maybe the legend was meant to be MEGALOU? I imagine that many mint workers were illiterate back then so they could have confused a letter or two.

[Sulla80]

20 hours ago, merveil said:

That's a beautiful coin, I love the sharp portrait! (That said, I'm glad mine is less attractive as otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it 😉 )

Maybe the legend was meant to be MEGALOU? I imagine that many mint workers were illiterate back then so they could have confused a letter or two.

Thank you & yes, you are correct MEΓAΛoY is intended by MPΓAΛoY - Thanks to @Alwin for pointing me to the correct attribute: Rhagae Sellwood 30.16 (my coin is missing teh extra legs on the throne of 30.20 and has the long sleeve on the cloak going below the seat level which Sellwood describes for 30.16).