★ A very rare tetradrachm of Plato ★

BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Plato, circa 145-140 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 16.48 g, 12 h), Baktra. Diademed and draped bust of Plato to right, wearing crested Macedonian helmet adorned with bull’s horn and ear. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΠΛΑΤΩΝΟΣ / MZ Helios standing facing in fast quadriga to right; to upper right, monogram. Bopearachchi 3A. HGC 12, 167. Very rare. A beautifully toned piece with an unusually clear reverse. Minor roughness on the obverse and with light doubling on the reverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From the Neil Collection, Roma 25, 22-23 September 2022, 604.

The only evidence we have for Plato are his coins, which break with the numismatic traditions of his predecessors by showing Helios in a facing quadriga on the reverse. Since some of Plato's coins were found in Balkh, whereas none have surfaced in Aï Khanoum, they were very likely struck after the fall of the eastern capital of the Greco-Baktrian Kingdom to nomad invaders in circa 145 BC. Much like Eukratides II and Heliokles, Plato failed to stem the tide for the Greco-Baktrian Kingdom and soon disappeared from history, only leaving behind his extremely rare coins for us to study.