Ptolemy III AE16

I picked up this little Ptolemaic bronze today, for the sake of collecting a few examples of the coins that served as hosts to my overstruck Proto-Nabataeans. I think it's in pretty decent shape: everything seems to be there, and it's got a pleasant look. It was rather cheap too - maybe because it's small? Probably most collectors go after the big, husky types for the sake of tactile appeal.

EGYPT. PHOENICIA: TYRE. Ptolemy III Euergetes I 247-220 BC.AE. ​

( 2.77g, 16mm, 12h)​

Diademed bust right of Zeus Ammon right. ​

Reverse..ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ BAΣΙΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, club. ​

Ref: Sv.1253, SNG Cop 502 ​

That's the dealer's attribution, but I found an online version of Svoronos's Ta Tomismata tou Kratous ton Ptolemaion here, and it raises a few questions. This is the text plate for coins 1251-1253...



First of all, Sv. 1253 doesn't correspond to SNG Cop 502, but rather 503. So which is it? Obviously Svoronos was segregating these pieces according to size and weight. By weight, my coin is 1253, but by size it's 1252. Also, Svoronos notes that there is some sort of control symbol between the eagle's legs, which I don't see on my coin - perhaps it's worn away, or the coin is of a different type altogether.

At any rate, that link above is a great resource for anyone wanting to use an expensive and rare numismatic volume to attribute Ptolemaics. The only criticism I have is that the image plates are not of a high resolution, and become mostly useless when it comes to small coins...



Another great attribution resource is here...

http://www.megagem.com/ancient/ptolemy_series.html

I thought I'd take a quick look at Ptolemaic bronzes today to see if I could hone my abilities at recognizing the undertypes on my Proto-Nabataeans, but holy moley, talk about information overkill. It's going to take a while for me to get even a basic grasp of the subject.

Now I know you guys and gals have some of these coins, so cough 'em up!!!!

 

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John,

The final link you sent is the most important one. The gentleman who composed that site is currently collaborating with Cathy Lorber on a new standard reference for the Ptolemaic series, due to be out within the next year or two. He is also an extremely passionate numismatist who would be more than happy to talk to you for hours about Ptolemaic bronzes. Shoot him an email, you won't regret it.

 

Thanks Bill - I'll ask him about the attribution of this piece.

 

Well I did talk to Daniel Wolf and my suspicions were confirmed concerning the lack of control mark. He corrected the attribution to Sv. 711. He says it's one of the most common types, but for the price I paid, I assumed as much.

Thanks again for the reference, Bill!

 

I am gonna need to lay down before I buy I a Nabatean.

 

Relax, dude. We're talking Ptolemy here. Got any of those?

 

Not a bad looking Ptolemy. Now you need to get the much larger brothers to this one.

 

Wow,great look'in coins, love the coin chart.i have a couple these...
Pick this up from our very own Noobster in a trade...
Ptolemy ...23mm x 12.29 g

 

Here's the puck....

Ptolemy lll, Euergetes...246- 221..BC....42 mm x 70 g.

.

 

By big brother I mean something like this monster I traded for from Bobbyhelmet:

PTOLEMY IV
AE36
OBV: Diademed head of Zeus Ammon right
REV: PTOLEMIAOU BASILEWS, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, looking back at cornucopiae under right wing
46.4g, 36mm
SNG Cop 221


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And there are much larger brothers out there as well.

 

Image with corrected attribution...

 

Well I knew they grew them big, but I didn't realize they were that big. In my type family, Denomination A is 73 grams!!!!

(Careful Eng, you could hurt somebody with that thing!)

 

JA, i've seen these up to 104 g. and i think they even get bigger, we only use these when your under attack, put 3 or 4 in a sock, WHAMMM....

 

I've gotta say, the attribution software you can download at that site is pretty slick. Plug in all the details and presto: an Sv. number...

 

I still dont own any example, great addition.

 

Nice addition, I like the highlights on it.

 

heres mine

 

Super coins, Randy!

 

Awesome new purchase, Bro-JA!! ... super lookin' coin!!

Ummm but yah, maybe I'm compensating for something, but I must admit that I'm also drawn to the bigger versions of these coins!! (both of mine are 40+ mm x 70+ grams)







=> oh, but again => outstanding new pickup (looking forward, I should try and snag multiple sizes of these types)

 

Awesome, Jerry. Yeah, don't get me wrong - I'd like to collect some of the big ones. I just wanted a few smaller ones for the relationship they have with coins in another collection.