From the Gemini IV Auction, Closed January 8, 2008.



                  Lot # 266 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$10000 / Price 
                  Realized: US$11000 
                  PTOLEMAIC KINGDOM. Ptolemy I, as satrap. Silver tetradrachm 



             



            PTOLEMAIC KINGDOM. Ptolemy I, as satrap. (323–305/4 BC). Silver 
            tetradrachm (16.33 gm). Alexandria, ca. 309 BC. Head of deified 
            Alexander right with horn of Ammon, wearing mitra of Dionysus and 
            elephant headdress, aegis around neck / [Α]ΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΟΝ, Athena 
            Alkidemos advancing right, brandishing spear in right hand and 
            holding shield on left arm, ΑΠ monogram in inner left field, in 
            right field EY above eagle standing right on thunderbolt. Zervos 
            Issue XV. Jenkins, ANSMN 9, p. 25, pl. iv, 3. Cf. Svoronos 44 (same 
            controls, but ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ). Extremely rare. Tip of Alexander’s nose 
            off flan. Reverse lightly porous and with graffito in upper field. 
            Toned good very fine. 

            A minority of the first emission of Alexander/ Athena tetradrachms 
            bears the exceptional legend ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΟΝ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ, and an even 
            smaller minority of the emission marked ΑΠ—EY has the legend 
            ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΟΝ. J.N. Svoronos and Martin Price both believed that 
            these remarkable inscriptions referred to the mint of Alexandria, 
            and Price suggested that they announced the transfer of the 
            Ptolemaic mint from Memphis to the new capital by the sea. This 
            interpretation has been disputed by a long list of scholars, who 
            insist that the key word is an adjective referring to Alexander and 
            implying a missing noun. These inscriptions thus mean something like 
            “[coin] of Alexander, struck by Ptolemy.” Since these special 
            inscriptions appear only on a minority of the coins issued on these 
            two occasions, it seems plausible that the wording was intended to 
            reassure some particular group of recipients who might have had 
            misgivings about the new coin types. 




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  ... Lot 266 sold for high bid of $11000 [ $12650, or approx 8728.5 EUR, 6451.5 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 

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