A couple of new Alexandrian tetradrachms

WOW, NICE!!! That is a great one!

LOL, son was NOT as UGLY as Dad... but had a likeness!

 

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Beautiful coin, especially the toning.

 

Howdy @Blake S. Davis !!!

 

Thats a great porait for a tet in thr op, and great coins all

 

I have a Nero and Tiberius Alexandrian Tet, Struck 66-67 AD, 12.58gm, 23.7mm.

 

This lump of billon haslanded on my mat. I saw it for sale and put in a low ball bid and scared off everyone else.... I like it. It is darkly toned on both sides.

It is currently the only Nero in my collection.

Billon Tetradrachm
Obv:- NERW KLAY KAIS SEB GER, Radiate head of Nero right
Rev:– AYTO-KPA, Eagle standing left, palm under wing, simpulum in right field
Minted in Alexandria. L IA in left field. Dated Year 11 (64/5 AD).
Reference:– Dattari 271; Milne 236; Curtis 97; BMC Alexandria p 20, 166; RPC I 5284; Geissen 167; Kampmann-Ganschow 14.83

 

It's a great addition, Martian. Nice look to it.

 

@Alegandron , As with the Alexander / Herakles portraits on (much) later coins, the Ptolemy I portrait was also used on later issues, thats why the look the same. (all ugly)

 

Makes a lot of sense, although they seem to "soften" the portraits as the years go by. I always liked Ptolemy I... probably one of Alexander's more shrewd Generals, and of course went on to create his own Empire and Dynasty... A scrappy dude!

 

Here is my Ptolemy I portrait from Alexandria and a later one

Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy I Soter, Tetradrachm

Obv:– Diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis
Rev:– ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, monogram left
Minted in Alexandria, B.C. 294
Reference:– Svoronos 236, SNG Cop 75
14.379g, 29.9mm, 0o

The following notes were provided by the seller in their catalog description.
"Struck on a briefly used standard of 21-attic obols. Broad flan. Overstruck over an Alexander tetradrachm, which had a banker's mark. Undertype visible at 4:00 on obverse. Minor chip. Rare overstrike!"

Many thanks to mihali84 for spotting the signature on the coin. The coin has the signature of the Delta artist behind the ear (between the ear and the first curl near the neck). I was not aware of this wonderful detail and it wasn't mentioned by Forum in their description either. This artist was a master craftsman and was responsible for some coins of high artistry at Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I (possibly into the early reign of Ptolemy II) and produced from quite early in the reign, including one of the iconic elephant's skin headdress tetradrachm.



The same portrait is being used some 100+ years later....

Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy VI Philometor

Obv:– Diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis
Rev:- PTOLEMAIOY BASILEOS, eagle standing left, head left, on thunderbolt, wings closed
Minted in Alexandria, B.C. 180-145
Reference:– Svoronos 1489, SNG Cop 262

14.031g, 27.3m, 0o

Additional comments from the dealer - "Ptolemy VI became king in 180 B.C. at the age of about 6 and ruled jointly with his mother, Cleopatra I, until her death in 176 BC. From 170 to 164 B.C., Egypt was ruled by Ptolemy, his sister-queen and his younger brother Ptolemy VIII Physcon. In 170 BC, the Seleukid King Antiochus IV invaded and was even crowned king in 168, but abandoned his claim on the orders from Rome. In 164 Ptolemy VI was driven out by his brother. He went to Rome and received support from Cato. He was restored the following year. In 152 BC, he briefly ruled jointly with his son, Ptolemy Eupator, but his son probably died that same year. In 145 B.C. he died of battle wounds received against Alexander Balas of Syria. Ptolemy VI ruled uneasily, cruelly suppressing frequent rebellions."

 

Martin, I REALLY like your Ptol I overstrike! VERY nice and unusual coin! Added benefit of the Delta in curl behind ear (Mine has that famous artist signature too.) Wow, Congrats!

 

I rarely disagree with @Alegandron...

Terrific Ptolemies Martin!

 

My coin has the Delta too behind the ear,
Martin, both coins are awsome , lots of eye-appeal.

both Ptolemy VI and VIII on one coin:


another overstrike, the elephant scalp tet.

 

An elephant scalp is on my dream coin list.

 

Hmm, I guess I should have been more specific in the thread title: Roman Egypt tetradrachms. That's okay though-- I'll pile on some Ptolemaic tets too

First though, a new arrival via JA's auction, consigned by JBG, formerly owned by Keith Emmett. Nice! I recall seeing this coin in Beast's Vcoins store but dithered about buying it. Apparently I was meant to own it after all


EGYPT, Alexandria. Carus
undated, but struck apparently struck posthumously by his son Carinus in CE 283/4
tetradrachm, 19 mm, 7.7 gm, 12h
Obv: ΘEωKAPωCEB; Laureate head right.
Rev: AΦIEPωCIC; lit altar decorated with crossed palms, star in upper left field.
Ref: Emmett 3995.2, R2
ex @JBGood; ex Keith Emmett Collection; ex Empire Coins, July 1982

Non-Roman Alexandrian tetradrachms, which I was very happy to add this year:


EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter
AR tetradrachm, 27 mm, 17.0 gm (Attic standard)
Alexandreia mint, struck 313/12 BCE
Obv: Head of the deified Alexander III to right, wearing mitra of Dionysos and elephant skin headdress, with aegis around his neck, and with horn of Ammon on his forehead
Rev: ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ; Athena Alkidemos advancing right, hurling spear with her right hand and with shield over her extended left arm; to right, eagle with closed wings standing on thunderbolt to right with ΔΙ below
Ref: Svoronos 33; Zervos series D, issue XIII; SNG Copenhagen 14; BMC 7


EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter
Struck c. 300-285 BCE, Alexandreia mint
AR tetradrachm, 28 mm, 13.92 gm
Obv: diademed head right, wearing aegis around neck, tiny Δ behind ear
Rev: eagle standing left on thunderbolt; to left, P above monogram
Ref: Svoronos 252; SNG Copenhagen 69; Noeske 40

 

I nearly went after that one - I think the reverse is really interesting.

 

I've seen these before, Martin, but holy smokes I'm always glad to see them again. First rate!

 

TIF, what JA said about Martin's post applies to your last one as well---all three coins are simply wonderful!!

 

I found this floating on the internet:

Abstract: Many tetradrachms of Alexandria have been assayed for their silver content but very few have been properly analyzed for the various components present in the alloys. Fourteen new gravimetric analyses are given of representative specimens ranging in date from the time of Claudius to the time of Aurelian. The silver content was found to range from 23.04% in the earliest coin to 1.43% in the latest. The principal component was copper, but small proportions of gold, tin, lead, iron, nickel, and zinc were present in all the coins. Various conclusions are drawn from the analytical data, including the probable composition of the copper used in the preparation of the alloys. -- AATA

http://www.bcin.ca/Interface/openbcin.cgi?submit=submit&Chinkey=66668