Ave!

Seleucid, Antiochos II, Apollo with Lyre Reverse, WOW!

Æ 16mm/3.5gm      Antioch on the Orontes, ca. 261-246 BC.

Con/ Very Fine; glossy jet black patina with orange sand fill; complete legend, spectacular reverse image of Apollo!

Obv/ Laureate head of Apollo right.

Rev/ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ; Apollo seated left, on omphalos, holding arrow and resting elbow on lyre.

Ref/ SC 572a; HGC 9, 266.

Seller's Note/ Note only is this a truly beautiful issue, but it is the crisp reverse that gives it the well-deserved Wow! The lyre is so well-preserved that the three strings are still boldly seen. 

Just in case you are wondering, an omphalos is a religious stone artifact. In Ancient Greek, the word (omphalós) means "navel". Among the Ancient Greeks, it was a widespread belief that Delphi was the center of the world. According to the myths regarding the founding of the Delphic Oracle, Zeus, in his attempt to locate the center of the Earth, launched two eagles from the two ends of the world, and the eagles, starting simultaneously and flying at equal speed, crossed their paths above the area of Delphi, and so was the place where Zeus placed the stone.

And now you learned some thing new!