While following a local room-auction online, this lot popped up. I had initially not paid any interest to it, but as it hit the block, I was surprised by the fact that nobody was bidding! I find the patina to be incredibly satisfying and what’s not to love about that such a beautifully thick coin with evidence of the casting sprues! Not to mention the fact that the reverse is slightly off-centre, giving the eagle on the right a slight pain in the chest. And that for a starting price of only 20 euros! So in an impulse I don’t think I’ll come to regret, I clicked on ‘bid’ and a few seconds later I was the happy owner of this 23.67 grams of bronze. It was described as a Ptolemy VIII , but I think recent scholarship attributes this issue to the joint reign of him and his brother Ptolemy VI in the period 170 – 145 BC, right? Any additional information is always appreciated. So, what do you guys think? Would you have bid the 20 euros? Also, I wanna see those hockey pucks, large and small!
Sweet new Ptolemy!! Here's one I picked up just last month: Ptolemy IV Philopator, AE Tetrobol Struck 222-205/4 BC, Alexandria mint, Series 5 Obverse: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right. Reverse: PTOLEMIOY BASILEWS, Eagle with open wings standing left on thunderbolt, head right; ΠΥΕ monogram between legs. References: Svoronos 1140 Size: 37mm, 37.4g And here's one I got last summer, just about a month into ancient collecting: Ptolemy VI & VIII Zeus / Two Eagles
I've only got some Roman period drachms - have yet to get one of the Ptolemies but it is high on my list. Nice coin!
In general, Ptolemaic mints had some stringent quality control going on. Off-center strikes are not common - nice find!
I've accumulated many Ptolemaic bronzes. Half were from a group lot. Now I need to focus on acquiring Ptolemaic bronzes from mints other than Alexandria. The coins in this virtual tray range in size from 48 mm (91.8 gm) to 14 mm (1.7 gm).
Thanks, John! That tiny chalkous you sold me is one of my favorites of the bunch . Here is a solo shot: PTOLEMAIC KINGS OF EGYPT, Ptolemy III Euergetes 246-221 BCE, Asia Minor (possibly Halicarnassus* in Caria) AE chalkous; 14 mm, 1.7 gm Obv: head of Zeus-Ammon right, wearing tainia. Rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ; eagle standing left on thunderbolt; trident to left. Ref: Svoronos 840. Atop the largest:
Right AnYangman combined rule of Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII. For 20 euro, its a steal, TOP ! Here's my smaller bronze of both rulers:
That is really nice! This is my closest, a dichalkon at 15mm and 2.9g. Ptolemy III, AE Dichalkon Alexandria Cornucopia with CHI/RHO and PLAIN (No Control) Series 5 Svoronos 970 - XP CHI/RHO monogram
I have none later than P-IV... they just in-bred so much, they were crazy rulers. I like the history of Ptolemy I (the brilliant and best General of Alexander!) and his son, P-II. Overall, I find the smaller sized issues are a little harder to capture... there are some great ones posted above, congrats! Egypt Ptolemy II 285-274 BC AE Obol 20mm 6.7g Alex III Eagle Tbolt Plain SV 601 Egypt Ptolemy II 285-274 BC AE 17mm (probly <3g) Eagle Cornuc SV 762
