261-246 B.C. Istros Seleucid Tetradrachm of Antiochus II NGC AU Star

Extremely Rare Plate Tetradrachm of Antiochus II - Less Than 10 Known

An incredible find! This extremely rare Tetradrachm of Antiochus II was struck in Istros circa 261-246, B.C. and comes certified by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) as being in About Uncirculated (AU) condition with a special Star designation. Less than 10 are known to exist, with none sold in the last 18 years at any of the 2,788 ancient coin auctions we've studied.

Not only has this piece garnered an About Uncirculated grade from NGC, it also comes with a 5/5 Strike designation and a 4/5 Surface grade. What's more, this coin comes from the famous "Black Sea" Tetradrachm Hoard and is a published Plate Coin in Constantin Marinescu and Catharine Lorber's The Black Sea Tetradrachm Hoard as stated on the coin's label. Plate Coins are those of such quality and beauty that their photo is published in an authoritative academic book on a particular type of ancient coin. When you hold this rare ancient coin in your hand, you won't believe your eyes!

This coin paints a fabulous portrait of Antiochus II, a Greek king, who reigned over the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from 261 to 246 B.C. During his 15-year reign he acquired the title "Theos," - Greek for "God" - after slaying his rival, the tyrant Timarchus during the Second Syrian War between the Seleucid kingdom and Egypt. The Seleucid Empire was originally part of Alexander the Great's empire and was founded in 321 B.C. after Alexander's untimely death prompted his generals to divide up his kingdom. The Seleucid Empire stretched from Asia Minor all the way to India and encompassed Babylonia, central Anatolia, Persia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, and what is now Kuwait, Afghanistan, and parts of Pakistan and Turkmenistan.

Istros was a city located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and was a base for trading with people who lived in the interior along the Danube River. Antiochus formed an alliance with the city presumably for trade and a jumping off spot for an invasion of Thrace that never materialized. The Black Sea Hoard consisted of coins struck by mints along the western coast of the Black Sea. It consisted of 434 tetradrachms. And is believed to have been buried sometime between 225 and 223 B.C.

It's rare to find an ancient coin from a famous hoard. Finding a Plate Coin is even more difficult. To find a published hoard Plate Coin of this beauty and condition may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you have a love of ancient coins, do not let this one get away!