I won these in the most recent CNG auction and they arrived today. All are of the Trident series that is now attributed to Ptolemy III. The first and last are Svoronos 840 and the middle one is a Svoronos 839, the larger of the two varieties, though still smaller than a US dime. Recent research by Catharine Lorber suggests that Svoronos categorized this series incorrectly. Svoronos attributes these to an issue of Ptolemy II from a mint near modern-day Beirut(Berytos), Lebanon, though based on archaeological evidence, Lorber attributes these to an issue under Ptolemy III from a mint near modern-day Bodrum, Turkey. Interestingly the final one is the heaviest of the group and is right in the middle as far as diameter. I am still researching the ranges these fall into to determine if I've possibly cataloged it incorrectly as it may be an 839 as well. Ptolemy III, Euergetes, 246-222 BC AE Chalkous(12.3mm, 2.027g). Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right/ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, trident left. Ex. J. P. Righetti Collection #43. Svoronos 840 Ptolemy III, Euergetes, 246-222 BC AE Trichalkon(14.3mm, 2.794g). Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right/ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, trident left. Ex. J. P. Righetti Collection #42. Svoronos 839 Ptolemy III, Euergetes, 246-222 BC AE Chalkous(13.5mm, 3.423g). Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right/ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, trident left. Ex. J. P. Righetti Collection #24. Svoronos 840 Thanks PtolemAE project for all the information about these. It was very helpful since CNG's info was pretty limited for this lot.
An interesting group of coins. Is the color true? Not sure, but it looks like the first is in the best condition; however, I like the obverse of the third for some odd reason.
The color of the coins is the slightest bit darker in-hand than the pictures, but it is very close. I agree that the obverse of the third has more eye appeal, I think its die may have been carved by a more experienced celator perhaps.
What is it about the second that causes it to be classified as a Trichalkon? On what is it based that there was a second triple denomination when only fractionally larger. When new, was it a different color? How did the Eqyptian in the street know he had a different coin?
Wow red-spork, those are three very cool little Ptolemy examples ... did you win them in a group-lot, or pick 'em off one by one?
Wow, excellent pieces red-spork. My fav out o' the lot is the first, it's got good character. And must compliment your photography skills!
Lovely coins, spork. Everybody loves the big pond-skippers, but we forget there is a world of fascinating coins in the smaller denominations. I share Doug's confusion as to the naming of these things. Here is one from my collection that I presume is one denomination higher than your three... Ptolemy III Eurgetes, 246-221 BC Æ16: 2.77g, 12h; Tyre mint, Club series Obv.: Diademed bust of Zeus Ammon right. Rev.: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, club in front. Reference: Svoronos 711 Here's a medium denomination coin I acquired at the most recent Baltimore show, once known as a hemidrachm, now redubbed a triobol, according to Lorber and Wolf. Why? Ptolemy III Euergetes. 246-222 BC. Æ Triobol, 34mm, 34.07g, 12h; Alexandreia mint. Series 5. Struck 230-222 BC. Obv.: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right. Rev.: Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; filleted cornucopia to left, XP monogram between legs. Reference: Svoronos 965; Weiser 72; SNG Copenhagen 173-5; Noeske 120-2. Notes: ex-CNG, ex-Andy Singer (Baltimore Expo), 3/28/15. I suppose I should buckle down and give PtolemAE a thorough study. I'm sure the answers are in there somewhere.
I have one small Ptolemaic AE coin, but it's a Ptolemy VI: PTOLEMY VI AE20 OBVERSE: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right REVERSE: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, two eagles standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopiae before Struck at CYPRUS 180-176 BC 6.11g, 20mm Svoronos 1426, SNG Cop 315
I am not quite sure. Svoronos does not list a denomination and according to CNG, all IDs were based on and verified with Lorber, who has a book coming out soon to update and replace Svoronos. Maybe it will have an answer? I actually re-measured and re-weighed all the coins however(previously had been using JPR's tags) and the results are: 12mm, 2.0g 15.5mm, 2.9g 12.5mm, 2.0g The second is definitely noticeably larger in-hand than the first and third, but I don't know how you'd be able to tell if that's all you had on hand.
Thanks, my photography isn't always as good as these photos suggest, but it is getting better. These just happened to turn out really well.
excellent little ptolemy coins, i didn't know they got below about 16 mm or so. still nice and chunky with a central dimple, just like their big brothers. absolutely on my list.
Terrific group... I need to dig much deeper into the series myself...so much i need to clarify and understand. But I love those large chunky coins!!
The new numbers for #3 make the matter a great deal more reasonable and telling a 12mm from a 15mm would be no problem in circulation. That leaves the question of the names applied to the denomination. If 2.0g gives you the unit chalkous, 2.9g would be a tri-hemi-chalkon not a trichalkon. I have no idea what standards were being used here but I often wonder at where collectors get some of the names they apply to coins. I do not have one smaller than 3.2g and it is a different series (Kyrenaica) but I do have a trident countermark coin that may have been circulating with these. I have been calling it a Ptolemy II but really do not know enough to speak. AE28 16.4g
I actually got the names straight from CNG's description. Svoronos doesn't list a name as far as I can tell, just size and weight and I have not found any other source for the names provided by CNG. Trihemiobol definitely sounds more correct from that explanaton, thanks for clearing that up. I will try and do some more digging to see if I can determine exactly where CNG got their description from.
