SELEUKID KINGS. Antiochos III ‘the Great’, 222-187 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 28 mm, 16.67 g, 12 h), uncertain mint in western Asia Minor, perhaps in Aeolia or Northern Ionia, 222-220 or 216-213 BC. Diademed head of Antiochos III to right. Rev. [B]AΣIΛEΩΣ - ANTIOXOY Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in his right hand and resting his left on grounded bow; in field to left, AK. SC -, cf. pl. 48, 965 (same obverse die, but with two monograms on the reverse). WSM -, cf. 1453 (two monograms on the reverse). An unpublished variety of an extremely rare issue. Boldly struck in high relief with a superb early portrait. Light die wear on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

The dating of this magnificent western tetradrachm of Antiochos III remains uncertain. It was likely minted either by Achaios for his young king before his own usurpation or by the latter during his campaign against the rebellious general. This issue is remarkable not only for its splendid early portrait but also for the unusually detailed depiction of Apollo's bow, where the grip and curved ends - characteristic of an eastern reflex bow - are particularly well defined