SELEUKID KINGS OF SYRIA. Antiochos I Soter, joint reign with Seleukos I, 294-281 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 13 mm, 2.19 g, 11 h), uncertain mint in Drangiana. Bust of Alexander the Great, with the features of Seleukos, as Dionysos to right, wearing Attic helmet covered with a panther skin and adorned with bull's ear and horns, ear guards lowered and panther skin tied around neck. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - [ANTIOXOY] Nike standing right, placing wreath on top of a trophy of arms to her right; between Nike and trophy, uncertain letters. SC 227. Extremely rare and a very unusual issue. Extremely fine.

These extremely rare fractions in the name of Antiochos I were struck in the late 290s to 280s BC, when he governed and reorganized the eastern part of the Seleukid Empire. They are evidence that the Drangiana still recognized Seleukid authority after the treaty concluded with Chandragupta in circa 305 BC, in which Seleukos' ceded the Indian provinces to the Mauryan King