SELEUKID KINGS. Antiochos II Theos, 261-246 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 16.90 g, 12 h), Klazomenai, circa 260-253. Diademed head of Antiochos II to right. Rev. BAΣIΛΕΩΣ - ANTIOXOY Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in his right hand and resting his left on grounded bow; at his feet, forepart of a winged boar to left; in exergue, monogram of HPΔ. SC -. SC online -. Unpublished and unique. A highly interesting discovery, adding a new royal mint to the Seleukid series. Well centered with a beautiful portrait of excellent style. Light deposits and marks, otherwise, good very fine.


This beautiful tetradrachm is one of the most significant recent discoveries in Seleukid numismatics. Its reverse symbol now allows us, for the first time, to establish the existence of a Seleukid mint at Klazomenai, where the winged boar protome had been attested numismatically as a civic badge since the sixth century BC.

As is so often the case with issues of this period, the royal portrait cannot be attributed with absolute certainty. An attribution to Antiochos II during his lifetime, however, seems more plausible than an issue of Antiochos Hierax, especially since Meadows has shown that Klazomenai struck Alexander types between circa 240 and 225 BC.

In light of Antiochos II’s successes in Ionia during the Second Syrian War, 260-253 BC, a date in this period appears most likely, at a time when the king was also establishing minting activity in several other cities of western Asia Minor. The present coin is therefore of outstanding importance for reconstructing the coinage of the third Seleukid king in the early years of his reign.