KINGS OF SOPHENE. Arsames, circa 255-225 BC. AE (Bronze, 16 mm, 2.82 g, 10 h), third series. Head of Arsames to left, wearing bashlyk with beaded edges, tied with a diadem; behind, countermark: APTA in rectangular punch. Rev. [B]AΣIΛE[ΩΣ] / [AP]ΣAM[OY] Head of a horse to right. Kovacs -. Cf. Leu 1 (2017), 97 (without the countermark). Very rare and of great interest. Deposits, otherwise, very fine.


The obverse countermark may have been applied by the obscure Artabanos of Sophene, who is otherwise only known only from a single unique coin (Kovacs 21).