Euthydemus II was the son of Bactrian King Demetrius I and was named after his grandfather. While little is known about his life, Euthydemus II came to power at some point around 190 B.C., either following his father’s death or alongside him as coregent. Euthydemus II is represented on his coinage as a boy, and it is likely that he died quite young. Numismatically, he has the distinction of being one of three Bactrian kings, along with Agathocles and Pantaleon, under whom coins were minted in nickel. Believed to have been struck between 190 and 160 B.C. for certain denominations, these coins were the first to be struck in nickel and the only known use of this metal for coinage until the 19th century.
How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. This coin is a memorial an ancient king and his empire passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day it was struck. - (C.2214)