Ancient coins of Egypt.

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by CoinBlazer, Apr 23, 2019.

  1. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    I love ancient history of Egypt, what coins are there for Egypt, and if I'm not wrong, coins minted in Egypt were made primarily for Greece? Something about Ptolemies?
    Please enlighten me.
     
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  3. roman99

    roman99 Well-Known Member

    The Achaemenid Persians took over Egypt in 525 BCE, and started minting in Egypt in the form of Darics and Siglos. Before that, Egyptians likely traded goods for Greek coins from the Greek colonies and merchants. The Ptolemaic dynasty took over from Achaemenid Persia after Alexander's death, and started minting Greek style coins.
     
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  4. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Ancient Egypt (Old, Middle, New Kingdoms) preceded the invention of money and was fueled by a barter economy.

    As stated above, Egypt fell to the Achaemenids in 525 BC but didn't start using money immediately - in fact the earliest coins minted in Egypt were imitations of Athenian tetradrachms, used primarily to pay soldiers. I honestly don't know how to tell them apart from the originals; they look identical to my eyes.

    In 404 BC, the natives rebelled and successfully shrugged off their Persian overlords and were ruled by a fairly rapid succession of native rulers until the 30th dynasty. Only the very last pharaoh, Nectanebo II (361 - 343 BC), seems to have minted coins: Very few survive to the present day, and there is scholarly discussion on whether the coins are genuine at all. This one sold for $130,000
    [​IMG]
    https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=161242

    There are bronze coins formerly attributed to Nectanebo II , but these have more or less definitively been debunked as being Roman pseudo-autonomous issues.

    Nectanebo was defeated by the Persians, who resumed control. Production of Athens-imitations continued, but there are some very rare issues that bear native inscriptions:
    [​IMG]
    https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=175864

    As well as Aramaic:

    [​IMG]
    https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=213997

    After Alexander, Ptolemy I took charge and began the Ptolemaic coinage that is widely available and affordable. His dynasty ended with the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra in 30 BC.
     
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  5. AncientJoe

    AncientJoe Well-Known Member

    I've never heard of scholarly doubts on the authenticity of the Nektanebo staters - could you point me to the source? Various internet forums have members that wouldn't believe a chair existed unless they themselves were sitting on it so I'd be looking for something a bit better researched.

    Considering that they have been specifically called out by the Egyptian government and are on a list of coins which are not allowed to be exported to the US without a pedigree, I'd tend to think the consensus is that they are genuine.

    Export.png
     
  6. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    In addition to the above history, beginning with Octavian/Augustus Egypt produced coins for local circulation (closed circulation) and those coins usually but not always bear the image or legends of the emperor on the obverse. This continued through the usurper Domitian Domitianus. I have over a hundred coins of Roman Egypt and consider that area to be my primary focus now, although I'm still really a general collector.

    Coins of Roman Egypt are plentiful in the marketplace and many have very intriguing reverses specific to Egypt, which is why I find them so interesting :).

    Here are a few of my favorites:

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian. Regnal year 10, CE 90/91. Æ diobol (25mm, 10.86 g, 12h). AVT KAICAP ΔΟ ΜΙΤ CEB ΓΕΡΜ, laureate head right / Agathodaemon serpent, wearing the skhent crown (emblematic of upper and lower Egypt), on horseback galloping left; L I (date) below. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G 24.109; RPC II 2585; SNG Copenhagen 214; Emmett 277.10 (R5).
    Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection
    Ex West Coast/Lloyd Beauchaine Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 41, 19 March 1997), lot 1110
    Ex Classical Numismatic Review Vol. XVI, No. 1 (January 1991), lot 31
    Ex Numismatic Fine Arts Fall Mail Bid Sale (18 October 1990), lot 2365

    Appearances:
    Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 39 (this coin)
    Obverse illustrated in Emmett as the header for the Domitian section, p. 24 (this coin)
    Fully illustrated in Emmett, p. 26 (this coin, discussing the unusual reverse).
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/so-these-exist-snake-cowboys.314032/

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Nero
    Regnal year 14 (CE 67/8)
    AE diobol; 27 mm, 10.9 gm
    Obv: NEPΩKΛAVK[AIΣΣEBΓEPA]; laureate head right
    Rev: L - IΔ; "vase" (Emmett), or "oinochoe" per others (others are probably correct)
    Ref: Dattari-Savio Pl. 1, 2 (this coin); Dattari cf 286; RPC 5322; Emmett 153.14; Poole (BM, 1892) cf 188?; Milne -; none in a few other minor references I own. Rare.
    ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/more-to-this-than-meets-the-eye.309276/
    I dropped the ball on following up about that thread and the reverse. One of these days I'll write the British Museum and finish the inquiries started in that thread. Unfortunately it probably isn't a six-bowled bong :D.

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian
    year 11, CE 126/7
    billon tetradrachm, 26 mm, 12.6 gm
    Obv: AVTKAITPAI AΔPIACEB; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
    Rev: L ENΔ EKATOV: Canopus of Osiris right
    Ref: Emmett 827.11, R3; Milne 1205

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar
    AE obol, 20.5 mm, 6.0 gm. Alexandria.
    Year 15 (CE 151/2)
    Obv: MAVPHΛICKAICAP; bust right, bare head
    Rev: Sphinx crouched right in the pose of the Great Sphinx of Giza; LIE (date) above in left field
    Ref: Emmett 1919.15, R5; Dattari 3221; RPC IV online 15684

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Lucius Verus
    year 4, CE 163/4
    tetradrachm, 24 mm, 13.51 gm
    Obv: ΛAVPHΛI OVHPOCCEB; bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust left
    Rev: Radiate and draped bust of Serapis-Pantheos right, wearing calathus and horn of Ammon; trident behind shoulder; ∆/L in right field
    Ref: Emmett 2360 (4), R1; Köln 2148; Dattari (Savio) 9420; K&G 39.77
     
  7. CoinBlazer

    CoinBlazer Numismatic Enthusiast

    Egypt and Rome? Can't get much better!
     
  8. Pellinore

    Pellinore Well-Known Member

    Unfortunately, there are no coins of the Ancient Egypt everybody knows: with hieroglyphs and pictures of sphinxes and pyramids. Apart from the abovementioned pharao Nectanebo, there are no classical Egyptian coins - only the Hellenistic and Roman coinage. The best of these are extremely attractive artistic wonders, that may cost more than your car.
    But some you can buy for the cost of a reasonable restaurant meal, and I'm very happy with this beautiful Hellenistic mega coin, showing a head of Zeus and an expressive eagle:

    1207 Pto.jpg

    It's larger than a silver dollar and certainly a lot heavier: 67 gr.

    In the Roman era, there are many interesting coins to be found: drachms and tetradrachms mainly, of types you don't see anywhere else in the Roman empire, historically interesting. Some of these are in very fine style, here's an example:

    3278 Gordian lect.jpg

    This is a billon tetradrachm measuring 25 mm, of the emperor Gordian III. Both coins cost well under $100.
     
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  9. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Is this intended to be the Great Sphinx of Giza, or just a sphinx in a similar pose? I don't know.

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar
    AE obol, 20.5 mm, 6.0 gm. Alexandria.
    Year 15 (CE 151/2)
    Obv: MAVPHΛICKAICAP; bust right, bare head
    Rev: Sphinx crouched right in the pose of the Great Sphinx of Giza; LIE (date) above in left field
    Ref: Emmett 1919.15, R5; Dattari 3221; RPC IV online 15684

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
    year 20, CE 156/7
    AE obol, 18 mm, 4.36 gm
    Obv: laureate head right
    Rev: sphinx crouched/reclining left; L K above
    Ref: Emmett 1782.20 (unlisted reverse for year 20); unlisted in Geissen and Dattari
     
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  10. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Egypt, Alexandria - Hadrian. (117-138)

    Year 127-128

    Type: AE Drachm, 32mm 24.42 grams

    Obverse: AVT KAI TPAI AAPIA CEB, Laureate draped and cuirassed bust right

    Reverse: LDW (delta) EK in exergue, Nilos reclining left upon a crocodile, holding cornucopia and reed, Genius emerging from the cornucopia and pointing at letters IS in upper field

    Reference: Milne 1269

    hadrian3.jpg

    hadrian4.jpg
     
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  11. Robidoux Pass

    Robidoux Pass Well-Known Member

    Because of the ubiquity of sphinxes in Egypt (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Tanis, Memphis, etc.), I personally would conjecture that the sphinx on this coin is not meant to represent specifically the Great Sphinx on the Giza plateau. Sphinxes were considered guardians and often used.
     
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  12. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    I know its an older thread, but I just won this at CNG. I bought it due to the great details on the reverse, something rarely seen.

    Sphinx.jpg
    Personally, I think this is the great sphinx on this issue. Given that 90-95% or more of all sphinx coins show a living animal, and the only location to show this pose is on Egyptian coinage, I do not think its a stretch to believe it is a depiction of a very famous monument, just like Rhodes put their statue, or Ephesus put Artemis.

    Rare coin. I have not seen this level of detail on a Sphinx, (Great Sphinx pose), in a VERY long time, and never below a $1000 price point. @TIF 's coins are great as always, (she has wonderful taste), this coin's reverse was simply spectacular IMHO. I have waited 20 years of ancient collecting to finally get one of these I was happy with. I never understood why ancient Egypt did not have more coins depicting their famous landmarks. Maybe because the Greeks and Romans didn't build them, (save for the Lighthouse, another favorite of mine).
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2020
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  13. AncientJoe

    AncientJoe Well-Known Member

    Wow, the detail on your sphinx head is incredible! And I agree: the resemblance to "the" Sphinx is too uncanny to not be the intended source, especially considering it's from Alexandria.

    Mine is of the same year as yours with a slightly more idealized style versus your more accurate depiction:

    Sphinx.jpg
     
  14. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Wow, yours is spectacular sir, (of course most of yours are). Anyone who knows these issues recognizes how special your and @TIF coins really are. They really are rare, especially considering historically interesting they are. Its not like a rare "standing goddess facing left instead of right" rare, but TYPE rare, especially to see anything more than a broad outline.
     
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  15. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

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