Year of the (top) 10 Ptolemies

This year I really put a lot of my effort towards focusing on and acquiring coins of Ptolemaic Egypt. Reading about its fascinating history, rulers, and exploring it virtually in its twilight years led me to make this one of my main collecting areas as I try to obtain nice/rare examples on my modest budget. Naturally, I felt myself drawn towards larger coins rather than smaller ones, so I was more on the lookout for the larger bronze coins, especially the drachms. But eventually I started to look more at the smaller coins as well, especially harder-to-find types such as the Ptolemy I and Berenice II on my list. My white whale is an octobol (the ~80 to 100 gram monsters), but unfortunately I was outbid on the two I tried to go for, so hopefully next year I'll have better luck. In total I bought around 20 Ptolemaic coins this year, with me selling off a few that were underwhelming in hand or that I upgraded, to help me buy more Ptolemaic coins. So I believed it was appropriate for me to set up a top-10 list for them. A few of these will also make appearances as part of my top-10 list for all my acquisitions in 2021.

This list is ordered chronologically, not in any particular preference.

1. Ptolemy I Soter (as Satrap), Ptolemaic Egypt
AE hemiobol
Obv: Bust of Aphrodite right, wearing stephane
Rev: ΠTOΛE, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread
Mint: Paphos
Date: 310-305 BC
Ref: Svoronos 79
Size: 3.1 gr., 16 mm



2. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE drachm
Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, two eagles standing left on thunderbolt, Θ between left eagle's legs
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 267-259 BC
Ref: Svoronos 463
Size: 71 gr., 42 mm



3. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE diobol
Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle with open wings standing left on thunderbolt, Σ over shield to left, I between legs
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 285-246 BC
Ref: Svoronos 576
Size: 15.6 gr., 28 mm



4. Ptolemy III Euergetes, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE hemiobol
Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt with wings closed, cornucopia over shoulder, XP monogram between legs
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 246-222 BC
Ref: Svoronos 968
Size: 5.4 gr., 18 mm



5. Berenice II Euergetes, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE16
Obv: BEΡENIKHΣ BAΣIΛIΣΣHΣ, diademed and draped bust right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread, EY to left
Mint: Ras Ibn Hani
Date: 246-221 BC
Ref: Svoronos 1056
Size: 4 gr., 17 mm



6. Ptolemy IV Philopator, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE drachm (Series 5)
Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; filleted cornucopia to left, ΔI between legs
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 222-204 BC
Ref: CPE B495, Svoronos 1125, SNG Cop 199
Size: 65.94 gr., 42 mm




7. Ptolemy IV Philopator, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE drachm
Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; filleted cornucopia to left, ΛI between legs
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 222-204 BC
Ref: CPE B493, Svoronos 1126
Size: 69.29 gr., 42 mm



8. Ptolemy IV Philopator, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE tetrobol
Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, looking right, wings spread, ΣE between legs
Mint: Cyrene
Date: 222-204 BC
Ref: Svoronos 1148
Size: 45.3 gr., 38 mm



9. Ptolemy V Epiphanes, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AE27
Obv: Bearded head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin headdress
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, looking right, wings closed, caduceus behind shoulder, K between legs
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 204-180 BC
Ref: Svoronos 1376
Size: 13.3 gr., 27 mm



10. Ptolemy XII Auletes and Cleopatra VII, Ptolemaic Kingdom
AR tetradrachm
Obv: Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, in aegis
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, palm over right shoulder, regnal year LΛ (year 30 of Ptolemy) above headdress of Isis to left, ΠA to right
Mint: Alexandria
Date: 52-51 BC
Ref: Svoronos 1840
Size: 8.1 gr., 25 mm (definitely lighter than the standard so I'm hoping this isn't a fake [no seam though], wondering if someone would be able to help me out with this, maybe @Broucheion ?)

 

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Nice selections, @ValiantKnight. Thanks for sharing.

I like those large-size 42mm bronze drachm coins. Feels like a medal.

 

Almost forgot. Please feel free to post any Ptolemies you might have

 

I only have this one….

 

By far my favorite Ptolemy is the Ptolemy II tetradrachm with year date corrected (overdate) 34/33. Sure I wish it were mint sate. Who has that one?



Apologies to those who have seen this a hundred times.

 

Very cool year
And a Ptolemy l as Satrap
Here's a couple Ptolemy lls from this year:



Px6


And the hard to come by son daddy tried to forget, poor Ptolemy Keraunos

 

Love those eagles on #2. Do the two have any significance? The others are attractive too.

 

Great Ptolemaic coins!
@ValiantKnight I like the early Ptolemy I AEs similar to your #1.

Here's two of my early Ptolemy I AEs from Kyrenaika when he consolidated control after the 305-300 revolt and put his name or portrait on the coins:

Kyrene, Ptolemy I 300-282 BC
AE hemiobol 3.15 gm, 16 mm
O: laureate head Apollo right
R: eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread, ΦΑ monogram upper left, silphium plant lower left, PTOLMAI[OY] to right
BMC 5c(XXVIII:12A); Asolati 38C (this coin illustrated); CPE B144


Kyrene, Ptolemy I 300-294 BC
AE hemiobol 4.3 gm, 16 mm
O: diademed head Ptolemy right
R: eagle standing right, wings spread; KAE and IΓKP monograms upper right; silphium plant & crab lower right
BMC5e(XXVIII:18B); Asolati 39b; Lorber B145
ex-Boston MFA 17.3380

The latter coin shares a monogram with Kyrene AV staters and AR didrachms

 

great coins, thanks for sharing, I have one that is in this year's top 10

 

Yes! From what I found online, the two eagles represent Ptolemy II and his adopted son, Ptolemy Nios. The dates 267-259 in the description refer to the time of their co-regency.

 

A very nice assortment! I have a ton of Ptolemy bronzes (well, not a ton, but over a kilo ) but most are rather unremarkable Zeus-Ammon/Eagle types from Alexandria. Maybe someday I'll take a deeper dive like you're doing and add other mints and types. My favorites from this list are the Ptolemy I Aphrodite and the Berenice II.

 

V.K., It looks like you had an excellent year adding Ptolemaic coinage . I like the hefty bronze coins, #6 & 7 . Very light weights on late Ptolemaic Tets aren't unusual, so don't feel paranoid about #10 . I sold the Ptolemy Tet pictured below at a Heritage auction a long time ago.

 

Nice selection of hockey pucks

Here's the best I can do


Ptolemy II Philadelphos : Obol (Bronze), Alexandria, circa 260s-246 BC.
Diademed head of the deified Alexander III to right, wearing elephant skin headdress and aegis around his neck, and with horn of Ammon on his forehead.
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ Eagle with open wings standing left on thunderbolt;between the eagle's legs, Λ.
24 mm, 10.43 g, 1 h
Ref : Lorber B250

Q

 

2021 was a productive year for you in terms of coin acquisitions! Well done!

 

A nice collection @ValiantKnight, I find these coins appealing as well - I like your Bernice II and the others.

Galatians in Egypt captured my attention this year - more on your coin #4 is here.

I would have attributed your 10th coin differently - my full explanation in "Cleopatra Queen of Egypt"

Ptolemaic Kings of Egypt, Cleopatra VII and Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Auletes ("Flute Player"), 80-51 BC, AR Tetradrachm, dated regnal year 30 (52/1 BC)
Obv: Diademed head right, wearing aegis
Rev: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, palm over shoulder; LΛ above crown of Isis before; ΠA behind
Rev: Svoronos 1840; Plate LXI.25

I don't have much help on the light weight - it is certainly a lot lighter than I would have expected (13-14g)... nothing in the photo would make me suspect a fake.

It is hard to appreciate fully the big AE coins without having one in hand - this one weighs in at 72g and dwarfs my Roman quinarius.

Best wishes for a "white whale" in 2022!

 

Hi @ValiantKnight,

This coin looks like an original (I couldn't find a die match in my 'black files' for year 30 of Ptolemy XII). However, I think the reason for the super low weight is crystallization (actually 'embrittlement') and leeching of the cooper from the coin. These coins were only 33% Ag, the rest being copper. Looking at the headband I see the lower part 'eroded away' and the other parts of the face look like some flaking has occurred on the remaining silver. Here's a nice write up from Forvm https://www.forumancientcoins.com/moonmoth/crystal_coins.html on what goes on.

Don't get me wrong, this is a nice example and you should be very happy to own it. As a lover of Ptolemaic coins I like ALL your Top 10 Ptolemies.

Here's an earlier post showing one of my year 30 coins: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/cleopatra-caesarion-or-ptolemy-xii.371241/#post-5232022 . Another is below, which looks a lot like yours.




I look forward to the great coins you'll get in 2022!

- Broucheion

P.S., You wrote

This is not the accepted thinking these days. The two eagles were a denomination marker, not representative of any kings or heirs. Lorber's CPE has extensive write ups on the coinage (aside from the catalog), which represent better what is going on.

P.P.S. To All, the other Ptolemaics are really nice too!

- Broucheion

 

Thank you Broucheion. Glad to hear it has your seal of approval. Based on what you have said, I’m guessing you are implying my coin is an official original made in Alexandria? Is there any possibility that this could be a unofficial fourree made in a neighboring region? Any knowledge or references out there about this? I had spoken to someone that implied my coin might be one.

 

Hi @ValiantKnight,

This is as Alexandrian as can be. I’ve never seen a fourree of this type of coin (doesn’t mean there were none, just that they must be very rare). Anyone saying otherwise should point me to a reference to it.

- Broucheion

 

Thanks Sulla! Definitely a great article you’ve written. I’ve made the correction. Earlier on when originally reading about Ptolemy XII I somehow missed that he made Cleo VII co-ruler and so I assumed she became co-ruler only with her brother after XII’s death.

Thanks for this and for your other post! Now I feel more confident about my tetradrachm. I will consider it an authentic, official Alexandria mint issue until something ever comes up that says otherwise. The only thing left that bothers me though is why they underreported it’s weight. I’m hoping it was an honest mistake, perhaps a copy-and-paste error from another tetradrachm in the auction, and not as an act of intentional deception. I am most likely keeping the coin, but I think the weight discrepancy and my displeasure with this is something I will still bring up with the auction house.

 

Great list @ValiantKnight . My favorite by a good margin is your #3. Great style and detail. My next favorite is your #6 just for shear heft. I need to pay more attention to Ptolemaic issues because there are some nice coins to be had.

Here is my favorite Ptolemy.