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<p>[QUOTE="zumbly, post: 5132822, member: 57495"]The first portrait coin of Cleopatra Selene that made me aware of their existence was <a href="https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=249625" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=249625" rel="nofollow">this example</a> that sold in a CNG auction some years ago. Because of the general rarity and desirability of the type, it sold for a whopping price, despite its low grade and problems.</p><p><br /></p><p>I always figured I'd never score one of my own, but earlier this month, I actually managed to, and for a tiny fraction of the price of the CNG example. Though mine has even more problems and is so bargain bin that it wasn't even in the bin but probably underneath it, I'm nevertheless feeling fortunate to have it.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1204387[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>KINGDOM OF MAURETANIA. Cleopatra Selene II.</b></p><p>AE30. 12.46g, 30.2mm. Iol-Caesarea mint, circa 20 BC - AD 20. SNG Copenhagen 612; Mazard 395; MAA 214. O: [BACIΛICCA] KΛE[ΟΠΑΤΡA], diademed and draped bust right. R: KΛEΟΠΑΤ[ΡA], Crocodile right; [BACIΛICCA] in exergue.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are a few theories regarding the issuance of coins with Cleopatra Selene's solo portrait. One is that they were struck during a possible period of her regency, when she ruled Mauretania on behalf of her husband Juba, who between 2 BC and AD 2 was traveling abroad in the entourage of Gaius Caesar (Augustus's grandson). Another is that she and Juba may have been divorced for a short period when he had married Glaphyra of Cappadocia while in the East with Gaius, and that this coinage is part of an autonomous issue struck when Selene ruled some territories independently. Obviously both of these theories are highly speculative.</p><p><br /></p><p>This crocodile type is in any case one I especially like because of how it contrasts with the contemporary crocodile coins of Nemausus. Where the Nemausus crocodile is chained, a symbol of the Roman conquest of Egypt that the veteran soldiers who were settled in Namausus had participated in, Selene's crocodile on the other hand represents her unabashed celebration of her royal Ptolemaic lineage. It was her announcement that, "<i>Yes, we are still here!</i>"</p><p><br /></p><p>My Nemausus croc:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1204425[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>AUGUSTUS & AGRIPPA</b></p><p>AE As. 12.0g, 26.4mm. GAUL, Nemausus, circa 20-10 BC. RIC I 156. O: IMP/DIVI•F•, head of Agrippa left, wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath, bare head of Augustus right. R: COL-NIM, crocodile right chained to palm branch, wreath above, palm fronds below.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="zumbly, post: 5132822, member: 57495"]The first portrait coin of Cleopatra Selene that made me aware of their existence was [URL='https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=249625']this example[/URL] that sold in a CNG auction some years ago. Because of the general rarity and desirability of the type, it sold for a whopping price, despite its low grade and problems. I always figured I'd never score one of my own, but earlier this month, I actually managed to, and for a tiny fraction of the price of the CNG example. Though mine has even more problems and is so bargain bin that it wasn't even in the bin but probably underneath it, I'm nevertheless feeling fortunate to have it. [ATTACH=full]1204387[/ATTACH] [B]KINGDOM OF MAURETANIA. Cleopatra Selene II.[/B] AE30. 12.46g, 30.2mm. Iol-Caesarea mint, circa 20 BC - AD 20. SNG Copenhagen 612; Mazard 395; MAA 214. O: [BACIΛICCA] KΛE[ΟΠΑΤΡA], diademed and draped bust right. R: KΛEΟΠΑΤ[ΡA], Crocodile right; [BACIΛICCA] in exergue. There are a few theories regarding the issuance of coins with Cleopatra Selene's solo portrait. One is that they were struck during a possible period of her regency, when she ruled Mauretania on behalf of her husband Juba, who between 2 BC and AD 2 was traveling abroad in the entourage of Gaius Caesar (Augustus's grandson). Another is that she and Juba may have been divorced for a short period when he had married Glaphyra of Cappadocia while in the East with Gaius, and that this coinage is part of an autonomous issue struck when Selene ruled some territories independently. Obviously both of these theories are highly speculative. This crocodile type is in any case one I especially like because of how it contrasts with the contemporary crocodile coins of Nemausus. Where the Nemausus crocodile is chained, a symbol of the Roman conquest of Egypt that the veteran soldiers who were settled in Namausus had participated in, Selene's crocodile on the other hand represents her unabashed celebration of her royal Ptolemaic lineage. It was her announcement that, "[I]Yes, we are still here![/I]" My Nemausus croc: [ATTACH=full]1204425[/ATTACH] [B]AUGUSTUS & AGRIPPA[/B] AE As. 12.0g, 26.4mm. GAUL, Nemausus, circa 20-10 BC. RIC I 156. O: IMP/DIVI•F•, head of Agrippa left, wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath, bare head of Augustus right. R: COL-NIM, crocodile right chained to palm branch, wreath above, palm fronds below.[/QUOTE]
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