The silver obol was a smaller denomination coin used in the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, worth one-sixth of a drachm, and served the daily commercial needs of the kingdom’s markets and local trade. These coins typically maintained the Hellenistic numismatic conventions with Greek inscriptions and iconography, often featuring abbreviated or simplified versions of the designs found on larger denominations. Today, Kingdom of Bactria Eucratides I AR Obol Coins are available in Choice About Uncirculated condition from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
Kingdom of Bactria AR Obol Coins featured a variety of designs throughout the history of the empire. Designs often included the reigning monarch on the obverse, with Greek deities, particularly Zeus or Apollo, on the reverse. Depending on the era of issue, the reverse designs more closely reflected the Iranian and Indian influences within the empire. The obols of Bactria are particularly valuable to historians because their wide circulation and frequent production changes help establish chronologies of rulers and provide insights into the economic life of ordinary people in this remote Hellenistic kingdom.
The Kingdom of Bactria Eucratides I AR Obol Coins available here are Choice About Uncirculated pieces. These coins represent the peak of the AU grading scale, with crisp design details, finely struck visual elements, bright silver-white brilliance, subtle frosted on the fields, and uniformity in the toning of the silver.
On the obverse of the Eucratides I AR Obol Coin, you’ll find a portrait of the monarch. Eucratides I, who ruled approximately from 170 to 145 BCE, was one of the most powerful and ambitious Greco-Bactrian kings, though his reign was marked by both expansion and intense conflict. He likely came to power through a coup against the previous Euthydemid dynasty and subsequently launched extensive military campaigns that temporarily expanded Bactrian control deep into India while also contending with the rising Parthian threat to the west.
The reverse of the Kingdom of Bactria Eucratides I AR Obol features common iconography of the empire during this era. Eucratides’ reign is particularly notable for his exceptional coinage, including the famous twenty-stater gold coin—one of the largest gold coins from antiquity—which demonstrated the wealth and pretensions of his kingdom, though ancient sources suggest his rule ended in patricide when he was allegedly murdered by his own son during a military campaign.
Please feel free to contact JM Bullion with any questions about ancient silver coins. You can call us at 800-276-6508, chat with us online, or email us directly.
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The silver obol was a smaller denomination coin used in the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, worth one-sixth of a drachm, and served the daily commercial needs of the kingdom’s markets and local trade. These coins typically maintained the Hellenistic numismatic conventions with Greek inscriptions and iconography, often featuring abbreviated or simplified versions of the designs found on larger denominations. Today, Kingdom of Bactria Eucratides I AR Obol Coins are available in Choice About Uncirculated condition from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
Kingdom of Bactria AR Obol Coins featured a variety of designs throughout the history of the empire. Designs often included the reigning monarch on the obverse, with Greek deities, particularly Zeus or Apollo, on the reverse. Depending on the era of issue, the reverse designs more closely reflected the Iranian and Indian influences within the empire. The obols of Bactria are particularly valuable to historians because their wide circulation and frequent production changes help establish chronologies of rulers and provide insights into the economic life of ordinary people in this remote Hellenistic kingdom.
The Kingdom of Bactria Eucratides I AR Obol Coins available here are Choice About Uncirculated pieces. These coins represent the peak of the AU grading scale, with crisp design details, finely struck visual elements, bright silver-white brilliance, subtle frosted on the fields, and uniformity in the toning of the silver.
On the obverse of the Eucratides I AR Obol Coin, you’ll find a portrait of the monarch. Eucratides I, who ruled approximately from 170 to 145 BCE, was one of the most powerful and ambitious Greco-Bactrian kings, though his reign was marked by both expansion and intense conflict. He likely came to power through a coup against the previous Euthydemid dynasty and subsequently launched extensive military campaigns that temporarily expanded Bactrian control deep into India while also contending with the rising Parthian threat to the west.
The reverse of the Kingdom of Bactria Eucratides I AR Obol features common iconography of the empire during this era. Eucratides’ reign is particularly notable for his exceptional coinage, including the famous twenty-stater gold coin—one of the largest gold coins from antiquity—which demonstrated the wealth and pretensions of his kingdom, though ancient sources suggest his rule ended in patricide when he was allegedly murdered by his own son during a military campaign.
Please feel free to contact JM Bullion with any questions about ancient silver coins. You can call us at 800-276-6508, chat with us online, or email us directly.