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Parthia, Satrapy of Andragoras, ca. 250-238 BC, AR Tetradrachm
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Helmeted head of Athena r.
Owl standing r., head facing, olive-sprig and crescent behind, AΘ[E] to r.
Taylor 'Birds of a Feather' 1.1; SNG ANS 9, 1; HGC 12, 1.
(23 mm, 16.73 g, 6h).
Roma Numismatics eSale 45 (5 May 2018), Lot 373; ex-'Andragoras-Sophytes' Hoard.
The advanced style of the owl and the 6h die adjustment of this coin indicate that it was struck at the end of Series 1 in the transition to Series 2 at which time the die axis adjustment changed from 12h to 6h and the reverse incuse square gave way to a non-incuse reverse. This intermediate fabric is proof that the two series were struck without a time gap between them.
The 'Andragoras-Sophytes' hoard came to market from mid-late 2017. It was reputedly found in 2014 and consisted of approximately 600 coins from at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan (Hoard information: Olivier Bordeaux & Osmund Bopearachchi). Around half of these coins were marketed by Roma Numismatics in a succession of auctions commencing in 2017 and continuing through 2019.
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