Didn't get Clio'ed, picked up a Cleo

I had a good CNG Wednesday and won something that has been long on my want list, a portrait coin of Cleopatra VII. Being on the lookout for one of these has often felt like trawling through a scrapyard for a cheap rustbucket on wheels, but seeing that the stickered prices seem more appropriate for brand new cars.

While the reverse on my 80 drachmai is pretty much dog food, I think the portrait is strong and in excellent style, and the sandy desert colours also really appealed to me. I was surprised to win it for the price I did, as I was prepared to pay a fair bit more, and actually, quite surprised to win it at all. I suspect it may have had something to do with a 40 drachmai model that followed after mine that was generally speaking better on both sides. That one ended up closing for almost twice the price of mine, despite the auction description noting "Earthen encrustation artificially applied--not suitable for encapsulation."

It may be a month or two before I receive this win in my mailbox, but I definitely hope to have it by the end of December as I'm betting on it easily making my Top 10 list for the year.

Please feel free to post your Cleos or your CNG E-431 wins!


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera. 51-30 BC. Æ Diobol – 80 Drachmai (27mm, 18.02 g, 12h). Alexandreia mint. Diademed and draped bust right / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopia to left, Π (mark of value) to right. Svoronos 1871; SNG Copenhagen 419–21. Near VF, earthen green-brown patina, area of weak strike.
Reportedly ex UCLA Classics Library Collection.

 

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Let's face it, people go after a Cleo because of the portrait. IMHO, you have a winner there. Congrats!

 

I'm thinking the same as David, great pick up you don't usually see her portrait that good. Congrats.

 

Big big WIN @zumbly ! Congrats!

 

Congrats, Z! She's beautiful! It's definitely on my want list, but out of price range for a while... Hopefully in the coming decade.

 

Much like you, I picked up one for less than expected. I think it is because the next lot was both better struck and heavier.

CNG E-431



PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT
Ptolemy III Euergetes
246-222 BC.
Æ Oktobol
46.2mm, 93.90 g
Alexandreia mint.

 

Thank you, guys, I'm really looking forward to the her eventual arrival.

Excellent buy! The two octobols were on my list of targets as well until I decided to commit my budget to trying for the Cleo. I agree you got it for a good price and am glad it went to someone here.

 

Great score, congratulations! There was a bust of her discovered in a Villa along the Via Appia, dated to the 1st century BC, around the time she was visiting Rome (46-44). It now resides in the Berlin Museum. It seems her coinage generally agrees with the features of the bust, at least when it comes to that characteristically Greek proboscis...

 

No Cleos for me, but congrats.

 

Congrats on the capture @zumbly your new coin has a great portrait. I would love to get a coin of her in the future given how significant a historical figure she was.

 

Congrats @zumbly I had that in my sights as well but decided not to bid at the last minute. I am glad you got it.

 

very nice z..one of the best portraits coins i've seen for sale..

 

Thanks, everyone!

Cleo was certainly one of the most fascinating and formidable of historical figures. Given who her paramours were, she clearly counted amongst her many skills the ability to capture the imagination. As she did in life, she continues to do so now.

Thanks, Orfew. I'm glad we did not clash on it. I look forward to seeing yours when you score it!

 

Great win Zumbly

Other then that I had a disastrous day. I was waiting for three weeks for the Morton&Eden Auction. There was a FDC Faustina Diva Aureus (mouthwatering) I was leading with a 6000 UK Pounds bid/ fair warning came up....then someone in auction room bid my coin up/ ended up loosing her Life is not fair....

 

Super cool scores @zumbly and @Chris B !

Sorry for your miss @panzerman

 

Oh man, THE Cleopatra! That's an awesome score @zumbly ! The portrait of her is VERY nice!

I recently finished a historical fiction book I picked up in a used bookstore for a couple bucks about CVII by Margaret George...



You can pick it up for cheap on amazon. First person account from her perceptive. Anyway, pretty cool read and it even surprised me by talking about I coin of hers I didn't know about.

This is the wildwinds pic..



Kind of hard to see but she is holding one of her sons (with Julius C) Caesarion, he just looks like a little bump in front of her.

Anyway, I've really been wanting a coin of hers since I read the book, but I doubt I can afford a portrait coin. I know there is some stuff mint in during her reign that doesn't have her pic, maybe I can snag one of those.

TOTALLY JEALOUS OF THAT NEW COIN OF YOUR ZUMBLY!!!!

 

There are at least 7 of them, including Richard Burton

 

Wonderful coin...

I do have a question about Cleopatra coins.. Sometimes as a newbie it can be embarrassing .. but how do you learn if you don't ask?

These small, rough coins go quite cheaply on eBay and claim to be Cleopatra VII.
Are these types mis-attributed to THE Cleopatra? I would assume so after reading that her coins are rare and quite expensive.

I have even read that Forvm has sold coins as Cleopatra VII - and some experienced contributors do not agree with that assessment (which is probably controversial?)... I assume I am looking at a similar situation as this is from a seemingly respected seller. Any insight is appreciated and I apologize if this has been covered previously (it seems most subjects have...haha)

 

Definitely maybe?

From what I gather, the main argument for these Cypriot coins being struck in the time of Cleopatra and bearing her portrait comes from Matthew Kreuzer's 2004 book, The Coinage System of Cleopatra VII and Augustus in Cyprus.

I have no expertise on the topic, but this review of the book by Oliver Hoover seems to cover the basic 'for' and 'against' points pretty well.

 

Thanks, Chris, I'll definitely be putting that book on my reading list.

And how cool is that Cleo and little JC Jr. coin, huh! Here's a clearer example from CNG's sale records that was sold last year for a mere $20k.