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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Hellenistic Monarchies| ▸ |Ptolemaic Egypt||View Options:  |  |  |   

Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt

After Alexander the Great's death, Egypt was administered by Ptolemy, one of his friends and generals. In 305 B.C., Ptolemy crowned himself king, establishing one of the most important and flourishing Hellenistic monarchies. Ptolemaic rule lasted for 275 years, until 30 B.C. The culture was a complex mixture of Egyptian and Greek traditions, best represented by the famous city of Alexandria. All the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy, while queens regnant were all called Cleopatra, Arsinoe or Berenice. The most famous member of the line was the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the Roman political battles between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. Her suicide at the conquest by Rome marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt.

Arsinoe II, Wife of Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Arsinoe| |II,| |Wife| |of| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||oktodrachm|
Certificate of Authenticity issued by David R. Sear.

David Sear notes, "a handsome example of this remarkable coinage." Following Arsinoe's death in 268 B.C., Ptolemy II minted a massive issue of outstanding gold and silver medallic coins honoring his departed wife.

Arsinoe II is portrayed in the guise of Isis. Her worship was widespread during this period, and for generations following it.
SH24847. Gold oktodrachm, Lorber CPE 390; Svoronos 475; BMC Ptolemies p. 43, 10 and pl. VIII, 4; SGCV II 7768, gVF, light marks, weight 27.702 g, maximum diameter 28.4 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, c. 252 - 249 B.C.; obverse head or Arsinoe II right, wearing stephane and veil, K behind; reverse APΣINOHΣ ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOY, double cornucopia bound with fillet, overflowing with grain, pomegranate, grapes, and other fruits; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||pentekontadrachmon| |(50| |drachms)|
Certificate of Authenticity issued by David R. Sear.

On the certificate, David Sear conservatively grades this coin, "almost EF, a superb example of this interesting dynastic coinage."
SH24848. Gold pentekontadrachmon (50 drachms), Lorber CPE 314; Svoronos 604; BMC Ptolemies p. 40, 4 - 5; SNG Cop 133; SGCV II 7790, superb aEF, weight 13.813 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 285 - Aug 272 B.C.; obverse AΔEΛΦΩN, jugate busts of Ptolemy II Philadelphos, diademed and draped, and Arsinoe II, diademed and veiled, Galatian shield behind; reverse ΘEΩN, jugate busts of Ptolemy I Soter, diademed and wearing aegis, and Berenike I, diademed and veiled; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Ptolemy I, Satrap of Egypt, 323 - 305 B.C., In the Name of Alexander the Great

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Ptolemy| |I,| |Satrap| |of| |Egypt,| |323| |-| |305| |B.C.,| |In| |the| |Name| |of| |Alexander| |the| |Great||stater|
In 332 B.C., Alexander the Great marched into Egypt, where he was regarded as a liberator and crowned pharaoh in the Temple of Ptah at Memphis. On either 10 or 11 June 323 B.C., Alexander died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon, at age 32. While Alexander's funeral cortege was on its way to Macedonia, Ptolemy I stole Alexander's body and carried it to the heart of the Temple of Ptah, where he had him embalmed by the priests. Alexander's body was laid in a gold anthropoid sarcophagus that was filled with honey, which was in turn placed in a gold casket. Ptolemy claimed that the king himself had officially expressed a desire to be buried in Egypt. More likely, he was motivated by the custom that kings in Macedon asserted their right to the throne by burying their predecessor. Ptolemy II later transferred Alexander's sarcophagus to Alexandria, where a royal tomb was constructed. Ptolemy X Alexander replaced Alexander's gold sarcophagus and casket with glass and stuck coins with the gold. The exact location of Alexander's tomb has been lost.
SH68257. Gold stater, Lorber CPE 29 (notes 10 recorded specimens), Svoronos 11, Price 3975, Müller Alexander 6, SNG Cop 643, EF, elegant style, a few light marks, beautiful!, weight 8.554 g, maximum diameter 19.1 mm, die axis 0o, Egypt, Memphis mint, reign of Philip III, c. 318 - 317 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right wearing earring, necklace, and crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a coiled snake, hair in ringlets; reverse Nike standing left, wreath in right hand, stylus in left, thunderbolt left, small ΔI at feet on left, AΛEΞANΔPOY downward on right; ex Gorny & Mosch auction 215 (13 Oct 2013), lot 775; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||pentekontadrachmon| |(50| |drachms)|
SL111466. Gold pentekontadrachmon (50 drachms), Lorber CPE 314; Svoronos 604; BMC Ptolemies p. 40, 4 - 5; SNG Cop 133; SGCV II 7790, NGC CH F, strike 5/5, surface 3/5 (6558782-002), weight 13.840 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 285 - Aug 272 B.C.; obverse AΔEΛΦΩN, jugate busts of Ptolemy II Philadelphos, diademed and draped, and Arsinoe II, diademed and veiled, Galatian shield behind; reverse ΘEΩN, jugate busts of Ptolemy I Soter, diademed and wearing aegis, and Berenike I, diademed and veiled; ex Harlan J. Berk; NGC| Lookup; SOLD


Arsinoe II, Wife of Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Arsinoe| |II,| |Wife| |of| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||dekadrachm|
Following Arsinoe's death in 268 B.C., Ptolemy II minted a massive issue of outstanding gold and silver medallic coins honoring his departed wife.
In an important analysis of this type, Hyla Troxell demonstrates that the many obverse dies of this type are sequentially numbered, A through Omega, AA through double Omega, and AAA through triple gamma, but not annual. There are too many dekadrachm obverse dies for the obverse symbols to be dates. In addition, the style runs parallel with the gold octadrachms, which share dies with the silver tetradrachms. This coin is Svor. 461 from Troxell's Group II. Troxell provides a date range for the type. Since the obverse dies are sequential, it is possible to read into Troxell's dates and assign this coin a date of c. 262 BC.
Arsinoe II is portrayed in the guise of Isis. Her worship was widespread during this period, and for generations following it.
SH17799. Silver dekadrachm, Lorber CPE 328, Svoronos 461, BMC Ptolemies -, VF, weight 33.539 g, maximum diameter 36.1 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, after 270 - c. 262/1 B.C.; obverse diademed and veiled head or Arsinoe II right, lotus-tipped scepter over shoulder, Θ behind; reverse APΣINOHΣ ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOY, double cornucopia bound with fillet; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy IV Philopator, 221 - 204 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |IV| |Philopator,| |221| |-| |204| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
An apparently unique tetradrachm with the Akko mintmark and the two letters perhaps associated with Sosibius, advisor to Ptolemy IV.

Ptolemy IV's surname Philopator means father lover, ironic since according to some authorities he poisoned his father. Ptolemy IV is a major protagonist of the apocryphal 3 Maccabees, which describes events following the Battle of Raphia, in both Jerusalem and Alexandria. He was a cruel and evil monarch.
SH64462. Silver tetradrachm, unpublished, cf. Svoronos 786 (Ptolemy II, different monogram), SNG Milan -, SNG Cop -; BMC Ptolemies -, Noeske -, Hosking -, VF, weight 13.792 g, maximum diameter 25.5 mm, die axis 0o, Galilee, Ake Ptolemais (Acre, Israel) mint, 205 B.C.; obverse diademed bust of Ptolemy right wearing aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY ΣΩTHPOΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, ΠTO monogram at left, retrograde ΣΩ right; perhaps unique; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Use of the title "King" suggests a date before 261 B.C. The style of the portrait is that of mid-reign of Ptolemy II, and unlike and finer than those of the Phoenician mints. The portrait style and compact lettering are similar to those on the rare ΘΕ mintmark coins, probably struck at Thera, an Aegean base for the Ptolemaic Navy. A dolphin mintmark was used on Alexander tetradrachms from an unknown Greek or Macedonian mint. Perhaps this coin was struck in the same uncertain Greek city.
SH66538. Silver tetradrachm, unpublished(?), not in references held by Forum and no examples found online, VF, reverse graffiti, weight 14.083 g, maximum diameter 27.6 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain Greek(?) mint, c. 265 B.C.; obverse diademed bust of Ptolemy I right with aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, dolphin left before; ex Pegasi, unpublished, puzzling and possibly unique; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy VI, 204 - 181 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |VI,| |204| |-| |181| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Masterpiece portrait.
SH26895. Silver tetradrachm, BMC Ptolemies -, SNG Cop -, gVF, weight 13.890 g, maximum diameter 26.2 mm, die axis 0o, Cyprus, Salamis mint, 177 - 176 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, owl in left field, LE (regnal year 5) over ΣA (Salamis mint, Cyprus) in right field; superb portrait, fantastic style, extremely rare, possibly unique; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, 51 - 30 B.C.

|Cleopatra| |VII|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Cleopatra| |VII| |Thea| |Philopator,| |51| |-| |30| |B.C.||hemiobol|
Cleopatra VII is of the most famous women in all of history. She originally shared power with her father Ptolemy XII and later with her brother-husbands Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV. Her relationship with Julius Caesar led to sole rule. Later she aligned with and married Mark Antony. Her suicide after they were defeated by Octavian marks the end of the Hellenistic Era and the beginning of the Roman Era. She was the last Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Click to see a video demonstration recreating Cleopatra's hairstyle.
GP93416. Bronze hemiobol, Svoronos 1872; Weiser 184; SNG Cop 422; BMC Alexandria p. 123, 5; Noeske 383; Sear CRI 949, Choice aVF, nice portrait, well centered, attractive green and brown surfaces, scratches, beveled obverse edge, weight 8.195 g, maximum diameter 21.1 mm, die axis 0o, Egypt, Alexandria mint, 51 - 30 B.C.; obverse diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra right, characteristic melon coif; reverse KΛEOΠATPAΣ BACIΛICCHC (Queen Cleopatra), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings closed, head left, cornucopia left, M (40 drachms = hemiobol) right; from the Errett Bishop Collection; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Egypt, Ptolemy I, as Satrap, 323 - 305 B.C., Portrait of Alexander

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |I,| |as| |Satrap,| |323| |-| |305| |B.C.,| |Portrait| |of| |Alexander||tetradrachm|
Ptolemy, one of Alexander the Great's generals, was appointed Satrap of Egypt in 323 B.C. In 305 B.C. he took the title king and established the Ptolemaic dynasty.
SH96809. Silver tetradrachm, Lorber CPE 77; Svoronos 107, pl. 4, 11; Delta Hoard 109 - 116, VF, toned, banker's mark on cheek, scratches, weight 15.236 g, maximum diameter 28.4 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain Egyptian (perhaps Pelusium) mint, 306 - 305 B.C.; obverse Alexander the Great, head right, wearing elephant scalp headdress and aegis; reverse Athena Promachos advancing right, brandishing javelin in right hand, shield on left arm, monogram inner right, eagle right on thunderbolt lower right, AΛEΞANΔPOY upward on left; from the CEB Collection; ex Numismatic Fine Arts auction XXXI (18 Mar 1993), lot 375; upon request we will include the NFA auction XXXI catalog with this coin - use checkout comments to request the catalog; SOLD




  




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REFERENCES

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