KINGS OF ARMENIA. Tiridates II (?), circa 217-252. Half Unit (Bronze, 19 mm, 2.39 g, 12 h), Artaxata. Bearded head of Tiridates II to left, wearing five-pointed tiara tied with a diadem; all within laurel wreath. Rev. Stylized twin peaks of Mount Ararat, as seen from Artaxata; all within laurel wreath. Kovacs 207. Extremely rare. Somewhat smoothed, otherwise, good very fine.


The assignment of the latest Armenian coins remains problematic today due to the crude and often rudimentary Aramaic legends. We follow Kovacs, who attributes these pieces to Tiridates II (217-252), indicating that royal-Armenian coins were issued for the last time after a 140-year interruption following the death of Tiridates I around 77 AD. In the series of Tiridates II, the coins featuring Mount Ararat are by far the rarest. The present coin is not only undoubtedly the best-preserved specimen from this series but also the first to be offered in a public auction. Thus, collectors of Armenian coins now have a unique opportunity to acquire the last and exceedingly rare numismatic representation of the monumental double mountain, which remains so significant to Armenian culture and history to this day.