weight 16,98gr. ; silver Ø 32mm.

obv. Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Eucratides right,
wearing crested Bactrian helmet adorned with bull′s horn and ear
rev. The Dioscuri on rearing horses right, each holding palm fronds and spears,
ΔΝΦ-monogram in lower field before,  BAΣIΛEΩΣ  MEΓAΛOY above,
EYKPATIΔOY below

Eukratides I (171–145 BC), sometimes called Eukratides the Great, was one of the most important Greco-Bactrian kings, descendants of dignitaries of Alexander the Great. It is unclear whether Eukratides was a Bactrian official who raised a rebellion, or, according to some scholars, a cousin of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes who was trying to regain the Bactrian territory. Eukratides came to the throne by overthrowing the dynasty of Euthydemus I in Bactria, whose son Demetrius was conquering northwestern India. The king whom Eukratides dethroned in Bactria was probably Antimachus I. He fought against the Indo-Greek kings, the easternmost Hellenistic rulers in northwestern India, temporarily holding territory as far as the Indus, until he was finally defeated and pushed back to Bactria. Eukratides had a vast and prestigious coinage, suggesting a rule of considerable importance. The warlike king was murdered on his way back from India by his own son (either Eukratides II or Heliokles I, although there are speculations that it could be his enemy′s son Demetrius II), who hated his father so much that he dragged his dead body after his chariot and ordered the corpse to be left without a sepulture. The murder of Eukratides probably brought about a civil war amongst the members of the dynasty. The successors to Eukratides were Eukratides II and Heliokles I (145–130 BC), who was the last Greek king to reign in Bactria. Once the Yuezhi tribes overpowered Heliocles, the Greco-Bactrians lost control of the provinces north of the Hindu Kush.

BN.Bactria (Bopearachchi) Série 6E ; SNG.ANS.465 ; 
Mitchiner 177ee ; HGC 12, no. 131 ; cf. Sear 7570 ;
Bopearachchi & Rahman 240-242 ; HGC 12, 131
Excellent specimen, deeply struck from fresh dies
in outstanding metal, with lustrous surfaces.
unc-/unc

weight 16,84gr. ; silver Ø 36mm.

obv. Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Eucratides right,
wearing crested Bactrian helmet adorned with bull′s horn and ear
rev. The Dioscuri on rearing horses right, each holding palm fronds and spears, 
ΠA-monogram in lower field before,  BAΣIΛEΩΣ  MEΓAΛOY above,
EYKPATIΔOY below

Eukratides I (171–145 BC), sometimes called Eukratides the Great, was one of the most important Greco-Bactrian kings, descendants of dignitaries of Alexander the Great. It is unclear whether Eukratides was a Bactrian official who raised a rebellion, or, according to some scholars, a cousin of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes who was trying to regain the Bactrian territory. Eukratides came to the throne by overthrowing the dynasty of Euthydemus I in Bactria, whose son Demetrius was conquering northwestern India. The king whom Eukratides dethroned in Bactria was probably Antimachus I. He fought against the Indo-Greek kings, the easternmost Hellenistic rulers in northwestern India, temporarily holding territory as far as the Indus, until he was finally defeated and pushed back to Bactria. Eukratides had a vast and prestigious coinage, suggesting a rule of considerable importance. The warlike king was murdered on his way back from India by his own son (either Eukratides II or Heliokles I, although there are speculations that it could be his enemy′s son Demetrius II), who hated his father so much that he dragged his dead body after his chariot and ordered the corpse to be left without a sepulture. The murder of Eukratides probably brought about a civil war amongst the members of the dynasty. The successors to Eukratides were Eukratides II and Heliokles I (145–130 BC), who was the last Greek king to reign in Bactria. Once the Yuezhi tribes overpowered Heliocles, the Greco-Bactrians lost control of the provinces north of the Hindu Kush.

Specimens with this monogram are not frequently seen.
The style of coins from this workshop is somewhat primitive. Rare.

BN.Bactria (Bopearachchi) Série 6Q ; SNG.ANS.- (cf. 464-474) ;
Mitchiner 177d ; HGC 12, no.131 ; Bordeaux p. 270-271 ; cf. Sear 7570
Excellent specimen, in outstanding metal, with lustrous surfaces.
unc-

weight 16,76gr. ; silver Ø 31mm.
Attic standard.

obv. Diademed and draped bust of Antimachos right, wearing kausia
rev. Poseidon standing facing, holding trident and palm-branch, BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΘEOY on right,
ANTIMAXOY on left, N in circle in lower right field

When Demetrios and Euthydemos II were overthrown by the rebel Eukratides, the dynastic cause was taken up by Antimachos. He was probably a brother of Demetrios. Antimachos promoted his nephews, Agathokles and Pantalon, to the rank of co-rulers, and the three kings jointly opposed Eukratides. However the usurpator was more than a match for his adversaries and by 160 BC the entire kingdom was under his control.

Antimachos I issued numerous silver coins on the Attic standard, with his own image in a flat Macedonian kausia hat, and on the reverse Poseidon with his trident. The depiction of the See-god Poseidon on this cointype is remarkable; Bactria is surrounded by land.  Poseidon was the god of the ocean and great rivers - some scholars have here seen a reference to the provinces around the Indus River, where Antimachos I may have been a governor - but also the protector of horses, which was perhaps a more important function in the hinterland of Bactria. On his coinage, Antimachos called himself Theos, "The God".

The ancient city of Balkh was known to the Ancient Greeks as Bactra, giving its name to Bactria. It was mostly known as the centre and capital of Bactria or Tokharistan. Marco Polo described Balkh as a ″noble and great city″. Balkh is now for the most part a mass of ruins, situated some 12 km. from the right bank of the seasonally flowing Balkh River, at an elevation of about 365 m.

BMC India 12, 1-2 ; SNG.ANS.276 ; Mitchiner 124b ;
Sear 7542 ; BN Bact. (Bopearachchi) 1 D R
Very attractive specimen with appealing toning. Rare.
xf-