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Author Topic: Ptolemy heavy weights  (Read 5003 times)

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Offline Peattie

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Ptolemy heavy weights
« on: February 19, 2004, 09:36:54 am »
What is the reason for the minting of the large, heavy coins by the greeks in egypt? The coin I have just bought weights 69g and is 41mm diam. You would have to have a stout belt to stop your pants falling down with a few of those in your pockets. :)

Offline LordBest

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2004, 09:46:12 am »
They were used as emergency weapons by Ptolemaic troops during their wars with the Seleukids. ;) I think they were just minted to show off.
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Offline esnible

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2004, 11:04:56 am »
One theory is that the Ptolemies could set the legal exchange rate between bronze and silver.  They could say 'this huge coin is equivelent to a tetradrachm' and obligate merchants to accept it as such.

One side effect of the large bronzes is that it enabled Hero of Alexandria to invent the vending machine in 215 BC.

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bruce61813

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2004, 06:52:21 pm »
"One side effect of the large bronzes is that it enabled Hero of Alexandria to invent the vending machine in 215 BC."  Did that get you the large or regular amphora of wine?  ;)

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Offline Automan

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2004, 07:51:51 am »
Well, it's not that strange. In Sweden in the 17th and early 18th Centuries copper was used as intrinsic value-based currency in the same way that silver and gold was. The largest coin weighed over 40 lbs (19 kg). Yes, these were coins in every definition of the word. Meant for public circulation, dies imprinting the name of the issuing authorities etc.

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Offline LordBest

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2004, 08:40:54 am »
I saw one of the 19kgs ones once, very impressive. Id imagine they are rare, and very expensive to ship. ::)
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Offline Automan

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2004, 10:26:57 am »
Rare: Yep. There's only one 19 kg left (equals 10 daler), althoug there are a couple known 8 daler ones and 1/2, 1 and 2 daler are quite "common". Still, the shipping for a plate coin must be horrendous.

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Offline Ecgþeow

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2004, 01:07:02 pm »
you call that 40 pounder big? I just read an article in ARCHAEOLOGY magazine about eight ton limestone disks that were used as 'money' from Palau.  Now that's a big coin! ;D

Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2004, 06:18:31 pm »
I just had a look at a 2-daler example in the local museum this morning. The label didn't say how much it weighed, but it was about six inches square, and maybe a third of an inch thick.
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Offline Salem Alshdaifat

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2004, 05:43:47 am »
i have tow coins of that type one is 42mm and another one about 40 mm, realy those are nice coins,they make me feel that i have agreek medaliums ,and they are heavy too :)

Offline Automan

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2004, 08:57:31 am »
Quote
I just had a look at a 2-daler example in the local museum this morning. The label didn't say how much it weighed, but it was about six inches square, and maybe a third of an inch thick.

2 daler should weigh 4 kilos since 10 daler weighs 20 (or actually 19.7) kilos.

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Offline LordBest

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2004, 09:11:58 am »
I actually had the opportunity to purchase some 1 daler plates from a shipwreck fomrthe 17th century in Indonesian waters. I regret not buying one actually, but shipping was a killer. I forget how much now.
   If there is only one of the 19kg examples left, im wondering how the hell i saw one. :-\
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Offline Reid Goldsborough

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2004, 08:01:51 pm »
Large Ptolemaic bronzes were minted because of a shortage of domestic silver in Peolemaic Egypt. Ptolemy II, III, IV, VI, and VIII minted bronzes with diameters of 40mm or larger, though the large bronzes of Ptolemy VI and VIII are rare. The largest denomination of each ruler (AE 46 for Ptolemy II, VI, and VIII, AE 43 for Ptolemy III and IV) was thought to be the equivalent of a silver drachm.  A good source of information about these is R. A. Hazzard's 1985 book Ptolemaic Coins: An Introduction for Collectors.
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Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #13 on: June 19, 2004, 05:06:35 am »
I saw an 8-daler plate in the BM the other day. Impressive; I wouldn't want to have to carry a pocketful of those.
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yafet_rasnal

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2004, 05:04:43 am »
I lately saw some swedish platemynt on sale in a coins shop in Trondheim (Norway)

Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2004, 09:03:50 am »
What do they sell for?
Robert Brenchley

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yafet_rasnal

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #16 on: June 28, 2004, 06:23:32 pm »
No price near the coin and i was too happy to ask ...hehe

ingolf

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2004, 05:03:38 pm »
Hi
First time around and this forum seems very interesting :-)
Regarding the Swedish Plat coins: Recently a  auction was held in Denmark around 100 lots were sold and they were not so exensive
2000- 4000 DKR thats between 100 - 200 euros
Here is a link for some picture and catalog

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If anyone needs some translation please reply


bruce61813

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Re:Ptolemy heavy weights
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2004, 12:30:08 pm »
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Just fixed the link. welcome to the Forum.

Bruce

 

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