Small Collection of Seleukid Coins
Contents
Introduction
This collection is focused mainly on silver and bronze coins bearing portraits of kings and queens of the Seleukid Empire, particularly of later rulers from the 2nd to the 1st century BC. Note that portraits of Seleukid rulers can be found not only on the Seleukid official coins and quasi-municipal coins of Seleukid cities, but also on contemporary “barbaric” imitations, on some Cappadocian coins from the turn of the 2nd and 1st centuries BC (in the name of Antiochos VII), on Roman coins of the province of Syria (in the name of Philip Philadelphos) and even on some Islamic coins from the 12th century AD (some issues of the Artuqids of Mardin and the Artuqids of Hisn Kayfa and Amid). The collection contains also some figural Seleukid coins and it is complemented by few other interesting coins.
This collection is not extensive. Coins are included either because of their aesthetic value (which is subjective) or because of their historical significance or rarity. Of course, this collecting focus covers only a diminutive part of the enormously varied ancient Greek coinage and a small part of the extensive Seleukid coinage.
In my opinion, every owner of ancient coins has a responsibility to preserve and protect them for future generations. Every coin in this small collection (regardless of its size, material and current market value) is stored in a separate Corrosion Intercept® polyethylene zipper bag (63 mm × 63 mm, i.e. 2½ in × 2½ in). These bags are
stored in an inert plastic box. Cotton gloves are always used when handling any coin. No coin is cleaned after its acquisition.
Seleukid Coins
Complement A – Technically Interesting Seleukid Coins
Complement B – Seleukid Portraits on Non-Seleukid Coins
Complement C – Modern Counterfeits and Reproductions
Indexes and References