Amastris 285-250 BC Silver Stater NGC ChXF Last Achaemenid Princess - Very Rare

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Queen Amastris 285-250 BC Silver Didrachm/ Stater NGC ChXF.

A must buy, very rare in all grades. Mintage unknown

PAPHLAGONIA. Amastris. Queen Amastris (ca. 285-250 BC). AR stater or didrachm (23mm, 9.39 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 3/5. Persic standard. Head of Mên, Amastris or Mithras right, wearing laureate Phrygian cap decorated with star with eight points / AMAΣTPIEΩN, Aphrodite enthroned left, Nike right on extended right arm, transverse scepter surmounted by lotus in left hand; rose in left field. Eye appealing example of this rare issue.

Amastris was the niece of the last Achaemenid King of Persia, Darius III, and was married off to several of Alexander's generals in succession in the years after the Macedonian conquest. After being "set aside" by King Lysimachus in about 302 BC, Amastris decided to found her own city on the coast of Paphlagonia, and gave it her name. She served as its queen for the first years of its existence, and the city grew steadily in prosperity and importance in the decades and centuries that followed The city eventually became incorporated into the Roman province of Bithynia-Pontus. The city's coinage is both rare and intriguing, the obverse portrait wearing a laureate Phrygian cap being variously described as the head of Queen Amastris herself, the Persian hero Mithras, or an Amazon warrior.

Amastris founded an eponymous city in Paphlagonia and was the first queen to issue coins with her own portrait. A very rare accomplishment.

Amastris was the last surviving Achaemenid Persian Empire princess.

Amastris issued spectacular silver coinage in her own name with the reverse legend “Basilissês Amastrios.” Although the word basillisa more broadly denotes “royal woman,” here it can only mean “queen”.