Since I celebrated my birthday the 24th of this month was this a good moment to add some desirable coins to my collection.... Had a auction marathon and found some desirable species, unfortunately did I find myself often outbid in many occasions did it result in a Greek, a Provincial and a Byzantine AV Solidus. The Geminis of Romulus and Remus could not be missed, a unique coin in a extremely fine condition, but what about this example of Cleopatra VII? PTOLEMAIC KINGS OF EGYPT. Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera, 51-30 BC. Æ 80 drachma / diobol (Bronze, 27 mm, 17.27 g, 12 h), Alexandria. Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII to right. Rev. BACIΛICCHC KΛE[OΠATΡAC] Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; to left, cornucopiae; to right, value mark Π (= 80). Noeske 380-2. SNG Copenhagen 419-21. Svoronos 1871. The light brown /green /burgundy patina and the roughness on this exemplar contribute even more to create a artistic and attractive portrait. Looking forward to see your Cleopatra VII coins with a great portrait!
That's an absolutely wonderful coin! I especially like the good centering, excellent detail and overall appearance. Yes, the somewhat rough surfaces and brown-green patina also add to the coin's appeal. This is the best of three examples that I have. Buying any Cleopatra VII 80 drachma with even a hint of decent detail is a costly proposition. 17.4 grams Postscript- I am adding this photo from a production of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, 1967, with Zoe Caldwell as Cleopatra and Christopher Plummer as Mark Antony. I was luck to acquire a book about Stratford, Canada, featuring some autographed photos of some of the stars. I remember attending the 1967 performance. It was a magical experience for a fifteen-year-old.
I think I was possibly bidding against you on this one, unbelievable what it went for, demand is high!
The gal isn't as pretty as Hollywood likes to represent her, but fantastic acquisition nevertheless ! Q
Happy Birthday, and congrats on the excellent acquisition! PTOLEMAIC KINGDOM OF EGYPT, Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera AE Diobol - 80 Drachmai. 18.02g, 27mm. EGYPT, Alexandreia mint, circa 51-30 BC. Svoronos 1871; SNG Copenhagen 419–21. O: Diademed and draped bust right. R: BACIΛICCHC KΛEOΠATPAC, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopia to left, Π (mark of value) to right.
Ohhhhh, if I knew it I would let you have it (and pay for it). It was my birthday! One would expect presents on that day instead of being 'charged higher', well I am a cyclop now, it did cost an eye.
Thank you very much, was thinking the same. As a Marcus Antonius collector do I encounter less and less examples of rare coins in a very nice condition, and if you are lucky to find one, to acquire it will be another story. They are increasing in value rapid, it looks like Blitzkrieg in the large auction house when one appears. Need to bring in the Tiger II to put the competition to sleep.... This counts even more for a great coin with Cleopatra VII, especially with Marcus, extremely difficult to acquire in a great condition. For a really nice exemplar will you need a 10.000 USD plus budget (some times 50,000 plus) in order to acquire it! Some good young luxurious Pick up's (full options) are needing to be sacrified or perhaps the collection of grandfathers Knucklehead's? What about selling your unique well maintained Aston Martin V12, perhaps some rare classic race Ducati's to bring in the funds.... just for some old coins with the portrait of a Egyptian Queen (a Queen who changed lovers as rapid as oil changes are needed for the Ducati's).... Did some research on Cleoptra VII, just because I am working hard to build a complete Marcus Antonius and a Great Roman Imperatorial coin collection (about 600-800 coins) and she certainly earns her place here! Don't ask me why I choose this period & Marcus as well, it would be more easy and a bit more economic to create a collection of almost anything else..... Citate: "Most numismatic portraits of Cleopatra VII Thea Notera ("New Goddess"), last Egyptian ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty and perhaps the most famous woman in all history aside from the Virgin Mary, have a tendency to make one wonder what the fuss was all about. How could any woman with so ferocious a nose and chin have so utterly captivated two of the most powerful Roman men of her age, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and have gone down in history as a legendary beauty and seductress? While some Classical historians are at pains to note that Cleopatra's looks were, in Plutarch's words, "not altogether incomparable," nowhere does anyone suggest that she was anything less than pleasing to gaze upon. Cassios Dio even states, "she was a woman of surpassing beauty, and at that time, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was most striking." The few surviving portrait busts that can definitely be attributed to Cleopatra are rather noncommittal on the matter of her beauty, since all but a few are bereft of that key feature, the nose, and perhaps the most famous one, the "Berlin Cleopatra" in the Altes Museum, has, according to some experts, been so extensively reworked in Renaissance times as to be untrustworthy. But the coin offered here, a bronze 80 drachma coin probably struck close to the outset of her reign in 50-48 BC, bears a soft, attractive profile that closely matches the Berlin bust, confirming its reliability".
Dont sell the Aston Martin, knuckleheads & Ducatis, but buy a coin of Amyntas , a client king of Cleopatra , out of respect he put Cleopatra on his bronze coins. they cost a fraction of the Egyptian struck coins.
That is a budget wise option, do collect them as well. Amyntas played a to many unknown but very important role, he captured the pirate 'Sextus Pempeius' and sold him out to the Romans who could assassinate him finally. RPC I 3505; HGC 7, 779
@MarcusAntonius - lovely coin. I finally managed to get one last year Roman Provincial, Coele-Syria, Chalcis ad Libanum, M. Antonius and Cleopatra VII (32-31 BC), Æ, 19.5mm, Syria, Chalcis Mint, 6.05g, BACIΛICCAC KΛЄOΠATPAC Draped bust of Cleopatra to right, wearing stephane ЄTOYC KA TOY KAI ς ΘЄAC NЄωTEPAC Bare head of Antony to right (RPC I, 4771; Rouvier 440 (Berytus); Sofaer 43; SNG [Copenhagen] 382 - Phoenicia), HGC 9 145
