Ptolemy IV AE40 Hockey Puck

You know what they say. Once you go Bronze, you go big. I bought this one a few days ago. What do you think?

This Ptolemy IV saw plenty of hands in the stream of commerce in ancient Egypt...which is not uncommon for these big bronzes. Still, it has nice details and is pleasant on the eye.


Ptolemy IV Philopator AE40 Pentobol (40.45mm, 44.2g)
222-204 BC
Diademed head of Zeus Ammon right
Eagle with folded wings standing left on thunderbolt, head right; filleted cornucopia on shoulder; Λ between legs
Svoronos 1166; SNG Copenhagen 221

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What are the holes for?

 

Common thing in Eastern bronzes. Some sort of device they used as part of the flan preparation process. Others here might have a better idea.

 

Take a look at this discussion on how the flans were prepared.

 

A really beautiful hefty coin!

 

I like it. You could use that sucker as a weapon.

 

Sweet addition! These big bronze are awesome to have in hand.


Ptolemy III Euergetes. Æ Hemidrachm - Triobol. Alexandreia mint. First phase, struck circa 246-242/1. Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head right; cornucopia over shoulder; E between legs. Svoronos 974 var. (control mark).

AE40 about 46.5 g.

 

Nice! That one sure has plenty of eye-appeal.

I don't know a whole lot about these, but note with interest that the OP attribution has the denomination as a pentobol (5 obols), whereas Randy's has it as a triobol (3 obols). In my catalog notes, I have mine - 43.84g - listed as a tetrobol (4 obols).



The spread can be a little wide, but the AE drachms (6 obols) attributed to Ptolemies II-IV for the most part seem to hover around 70g, which would agree with the opinion that these ~45g bronzes are tetrobols. Am I missing something?

My drachm below is only 67.86g, so would certainly be squashed along with everyone else's by @TIF's monster octobol .

 

I was wondering myself and confess my ignorance. I got my attribution either here or on forvm.

 

Very nice. I love these big old coins. I have this one as a drachm I don't know if that's right?

41mm 62.4g

 

No idea on how many obols.

Ptolemy IV
Coin:
Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopiae left Σ between legs
Mint: Alexandria (221-205 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 71.72g / 42mm / -

 

Yes, that would be a drachm. I love the look of yours, especially the colour. Dark black-brown with some red.

 

Ahh awesome. Thanks man

 

TIF's is bigger. This is only 46mm and 90g

 

Diobol (2 obols) with 2 Ptolemy eagles for 2 kings.

 

excellent way to go into the bronze zone Sallent. the dimples are the way i separate when Ptolemy's coins were struck.

 

A large Ptolemaic coin is a fun and historic addition for anyone collecting Greek bronze

I got a bit carried away over the last several years -- and I'm not done yet



In this virtual tray, sizes range from 48 mm (91.8 gm) to 20 mm (6.8 gm). I have seen a few 100+ gm coins of Ptolemy II and someone on CoinTalk recently showed one larger and in considerably better condition than mine.

Here's a closeup of the biggie, with a 5 mm silver fractional atop:


This "octobol" is also cool because of its interesting pedigree. Collected by Professor James Eaton in the 1800s, it remained in his family until I bought it a few years ago.

A more recent pickup not shown in the above tray, courtesy of one of John Antony's auctions:


Ptolemy V-VI
204-145 BCE
Æ 27mm, 18.4g; Alexandria mint.
Obv: diademed head of Isis right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOΥ BAΣIΛEΩΣ; eagle on thunderbolt.
Ref: Svoronos 1234 and SNG Cop 247 (as Ptolemy IV)

A shot of one of my nicer mid-sized Ptolemy bronzes:

EGYPT. Ptolemy III Euergetes
246-222 BCE
AE35, 35.53 gm
Obv: head of Zeus Ammon right with ram's horn, wearing taenia diadem
Rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ; eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt, filleted cornucopia left; XP monogram between eagle's legs
Ref: Svoronos 965
Formerly slabbed; NGC ChVF*, strike 5/5, surface 4/5

 

Thanks all for the compliments. So we still don't know how many obols mine is? Oh well.

@TIF 90+ grams to 100+ grams? Wow! And I thought mine was big...but it's just a baby. I can't wait to one day own one of the big boys.

 

I only have these two and they are not that large.

 

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT, Ptolemy III, Euergetes, 246-222 BC.
Bronze AE 38 mm, 5.8mm thick, and 46.5g. Svoronos 974:

^^
I'm feeling you - I tried figuring out what to call mine above but have pretty much given up.