The exact cataloging of these depends on being able to see the small letters (control marks) between the
eagle legs. I can give you a general ID without a specific
catalog #.
First coin -
Ptolemy II, ca. 275-260BC,
diobol,
Alexandria -
type with Laureate
Zeus and open-wing
eagle with SIGMA over Galatian
Shield to left of the
eagle. There are a number of these with different control letters with specific
catalog #s. From the
www.ptolemybronze.com web site (
denomination series page) you can see these possibilities (Sv### are
Svoronos catalog #s):
A/T - Sv553
PI/A - Sv556
A - Sv560
D - Sv563
E - Sv568
Th - Sv571
I - Sv576
L - Sv580
O - Sv586
RHO - Sv593
Y - Sv598
PHI - Svxxx
none - Sv600
Second coin - similar to first but with additional X or XP symbol below the
shield. Same time basic period (
Ptolemy II, pre-260BC) and some thought that these are related to the Chremonidian war during which
Ptolemy II supported
Athens (and which they lost). Some of these have been found in
Greece, but both of these sometimes come from a variety of locations throughout the
Ptolemaic world. There's another list of '
leg' letters/monograms that go with various
catalog #s for this second
type like the first one. The compact
flan with
part of the
obverse design off the coin is typical. The
obverse on this one looks nice and
sharp and the
reverse is pretty nice as well with all the major design elements clearly visible (
shield, SIGMA, XP symbol, etc.)
IOW, both of these coins were made over a fairly well-defined period of time, in fairly large quantities, and with a number of specific 'letter'
types (20 or more, in total). It is likely that at the time these were made they were the largest
Ptolemaic bronze coins in use. The really big bronzes (70+ gm,
AE40) started a
bit later.
It seems likely but not 100% certain that your first coin is earlier than the 2nd coin.
The meaning of the unusual 'serifed' SIGMA above the
shield is a
bit mysterious, but it appears on at least these two
types above the
shield. There's also a '1/2'
denomination for each, also with the similar design elements (with
Zeus in elephantskin headdress on the
obverse). The
shield symbol may be connected to an important
victory over mutinous Galatian troops in
Ptolemy II's employ in about 275BC and that probably sets the earliest date for these coins. The
complete change in
Ptolemaic bronze coinage in about 260BC probably sets the ending date. If these are related to the Chremonidean war then the XP symbol (for CHRemonides, an Athenian ally of
Ptolemy II) interpretation is enticing - simply not known for sure.
You can see
plenty of examples of these
types (with the various letters clearly visible and specific
catalog #s) on
www.ptolemybronze.com (view the
PtolemAE Collection) and there are several of these and related coins offered right here at FAC's web site store.
Some specific 'letter'
types are quite
rare but in general these
types are not all that
scarce. The exception is that any of these (or any other
Ptolemaic bronze) in really nice condition is always
rare. I think of these as among the most interesting earlier
Ptolemaic bronzes and much remains to be learned about the
symbols on them.
PtolemAE
