SELEUKID KINGS OF SYRIA. Antiochos I Soter, 281-261 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 16.87 g, 1 h), Magnesia on Mount Sipylos (?). Diademed head of Antiochos I to right. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ - ANTIOXOY Herakles seated left on lion skin draped on large rock, holding club set on his left foot in his right hand and leaning left on rock. SC 318a. WSM 1456. A lovely example with a very expressive portrait. Minor marks and with faint cleaning scratches on the reverse, otherwise, very fine.


The attribution of this lovely issue to Magnesia on Mount Sipylos is just a suggestion, with Houghton & Lorber remarking that '[...] the following issue must belong to another mint in the same general region. Magnesia on Mt. Sipylus is a credible candidate.' Unfortunately, such uncertainty in the attribution of royal Hellenistic coins to specific mints is not uncommon as they frequently only carry monograms and no distinct mintmarks. Still, stylistic groupings, die matches, hoard evidence, and comparisons between civic and royal coinages often provide valuable insights and arguments for the assignment of types to specific cities, or, at a minimum, regions. In the case of this particular coin, even though we do not know its exact mint location, it certainly originates from western Asia Minor.