Keeping up with the Ptolemies....

Well, I did give everyone a 'heads-up' if posts of this type are becoming a bit too common and wearisome.

Like everyone else, I have several coins of the later issues with the usual Zeus and Eagle but not with those particular devices as struck by Ptolemy I, II or III, although I did snag a couple recently with the P-I portraits. The P-III posted below seemed obtainable at a discounted price with sharp details so I grabbed it leaving a future purchase of a Ptolemy I (Bust of the King, Alexander/Heracles or Zeus) to 'fickle fortune'. Hopefully, I'll eventually acquire one of those humongous 'manhole cover' sized examples many of you have as well. (BTW: Did you all know that a 'New England' State attempted to change the term 'manhole' covers to 'personhole' covers a number of years back??? Jeez, what we do to be 'politically correct' LOL).

Anyway, please feel free to post any of the type you have ...and especially those HUGE monsters that some of the newer members may not be aware even exist

AE Hemidrachm of Ptolemy III; 34 mm, 33.7 grams
Alexandria Cornucopia Series, circa 246-242 BC
Zeus/Ammon right.
Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, cornucopiae tied with fillet before,
monogram between legs.
PTOLEMAIOU BASILEWS; Svoronos 965

 

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Very nice @Mikey Zee

 

VERY nice @Mikey Zee ... quality piece! Nice and heavy... those are fun to hold!

I have a few bigger ones and some fractionals too...


Egypt Ptolemy III 245-222 BC AE 12mm 2.0g Chalkous Zeus-Ammon Eagle Tbolt SV 840 Righetti Col O-R.jpg



Egypt Ptolemy II 285-274 BC AE 17mm Eagle Cornuc SV 762 O-R.jpg


Egypt Ptolemy III 245-222 BC AE 34mm 31g HemiDrachm Zeus-Ammon Eagle Tbolt SV 965 O-R.jpg



Egypt Ptolemy IV 221-205 BC AE 33mm 35g HemiDrachm Zeus-Ammon Eagle Tbolt O-R.jpg


Egypt Ptolemy IV 221-205 BC AE 37mm 42g Drachm Zeus-Ammon Eagle Tbolt SV 974 O-R.jpg


Egypt Ptolemy III AE Tet 41mm 7.2mm thick 67.5g Zeus Ammon Eagle


Egypt Ptolemy IV 221-205 BC AE Tet 40mm 7.2 thick 69.5g Zeus Ammon Eagle O-R.jpg

@TIF blows mine away with her COOL REESES PB Cup!

 

Ptolemy bronzes are somewhat repetitive in their design but they are fun to collect. I have oodles of Ptolemy bronzes, from huge to small . One of them is my largest coin, at least in diameter. The "Reese's Peanut Butter Cup" Carthage 15-shekel mentioned above is my heaviest at 95 gm.

Here's the monster. The strike leaves something to be desired but achieving a deep strike on a 90-100 gm flan must have been challenging!


EGYPT, Ptolemy II Philadelphus
285-246 BCE
AE48 mm, 91.8 gm
Obv: laureate head of Zeus Ammon right
Rev: eagle standing left on thunderbolt looking right, wings partly spread, E monogram between eagle's legs
Ref: Sear 7782, Svoronos 446
ex Professor James Eaton Collection, acquired by Professor Eaton in the 1800s.

Here's the 48 mm Ptolemy II with a 5 mm Macedonian fractional. It makes a nice earring for Zeus Ammon


A composite of my Ptolemy bronzes, with relative sizes preserved. The second largest coin is 42 mm and looks almost petite compared to the 48 mm!

 

Wonderful posts!!!

LOVE that composite @TIF !!!

I still can't believe they actually struck a coin that was 48 mm and 98.1 grams !!!

Mine is a 'super petite' compared to it LOL

Here's another I have that I'm not sure I posted before; Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra I, 201-176 BC, Paphos:

 

This was one of the first coins that really caught my eye before I was an ancients collector. Here's my first and largest:

Ptolemy IV, BC 246-222
AE41, 38.6mm; 12h
Obv.: Bust of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev.: ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ; eagle standing left on thunderbolt, cornucopia tied with fillet before, ΔI between legs
Ref.: Svoronos 1125

 

@red_spork has the thickest Ptolemy bronze I've ever seen. Calling Red Spork, calling Red Spork... come in Red Spork...

Post that puppie!

 

This "stuff" never gets old, eh? ... well, maybe for Smeag? (very sad)

... anyway ...

Congrats on the PT's ...

=> yah, these babies are wonderful "in-hand" (I'm definitely not even considering wearing loves when I'm handling these fricken frisbees!!)





... they're kinda like super cool man-hole covers

 

On the list to get a biggen.....



42mm 69g

 

@Deacon Ray you gotta check these out. Probably a bit out of your primary focus but something you should consider.

 

D-Ray => don't bother, brother .... it is a total hassle trying to Slab these dawgs!!



... just jokes ...

I guess you can build slabs that'll house these big babies?

HEY, I FOUND THIS OLD THREAD ... "see below"

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-in-slabs.48/

14 YEARS AGO AND WE WERE STILL DISCUSSING SLABBING ...

... how 'bout we merely get over it? (slabbing sucks)









Gawd, let him out!!

 

There are Judeo-Christian histories mentioning or hinting at various Ptolemaic emperors, so it wouldn't be a stretch for the good Deacon

1 Maccabee 1 mentions Ptolemy Soter

Daniel 11 mentions various Ptolemaic kings

There are probably more Ptolemy mentions in various canonical and non-canonical Judeo-Christian texts but I only did a very cursory search.

 

Very nice OP @Mikey Zee . Is that the one I'm thinking it is or a different one? Either way nice pick up.

 

Unfortunately I no longer own that one. Sold it to JA who sold it to another member here a while back. That thing was huge though.

 

i always dig seeing these, and that's a lovely one MZ.

here is a less lovely one i don't show much, a "late model" ptolemy x...relativly thin and not much of a dimple..i'm not sure it has one really.

 

That's a handsome example, Mikey. Nicely done!

That time my Ptolemy tried to sneak onto TIF's tray...

 

That's a mean-looking eagle. I'm not surprised to see him acting like a bully. Zeus Ammon is just sitting there smirking about the whole thing. Utterly rude coin. You should raise them better than that, Z.

I'll tell you again-- keep your kid off my lawn. Next time I'm going to keep him!

 

Ptolemys never really moved me before & I've not really ever looked at them before. After seeing some of these bad ass Eagles I may have to reevaluate my thoughts on them.

 

Fantastic posts everyone!!!...the variety of sizes, yet even the smallest SO VERY BIG, is so cool!!! It's like playing with a bunch of 'ancient' silver dollars, but way chunkier!!

If you're referring to a FAC auction, then the answer is yes

And, you definitely should grab an example or two---the Eagles even come in pairs, closed and open wings.....and the obverses come in cool Ptolemy busts as well

Like this one of P-II (with a P-I portrait) that is my absolute best:

 

Ptolemy IV and VI: