Gemini III, January 9th, 2007



                  Lot # 270 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$1000 / Price 
                  Realized: US$1500 
                  PTOLEMAIC KINGDOM. Ptolemy IV Philopator. Silver tetradrachm 



             



            PTOLEMAIC KINGDOM. Ptolemy IV Philopator. (222–205 BC). Silver 
            tetradrachm (14.14 gm). , “Era” coinage, uncertain mint, ca. 215 BC. 
            Diademed head of deified Ptolemy Soter right, with aegis at neck / 
            ÐTOËEMAIOÕ ÓÙTHÑOÓ, eagle with closed wings standing left on 
            thunderbolt. Morkholm A1/P—. Svoronos 853. SNG Copenhagen 539. 
            Beautiful portrait. Extremely fine. 

            Otto Morkholm, in NNA 1975–76, identified the Aradian era beginning 
            in 259/8 BC as the likely basis for the dating of the Ptolemaic 
            “era” coinage. He tentatively attributed the “era” coinage to the 
            autonomous city of Aradus, characterizing it as a pseudo-Ptolemaic 
            currency designed to facilitate trade with the closed Lagid economic 
            zone. Richard Hazzard has advanced a competing interpretation, that 
            the “era” coinage is dated according to a so-called Soter era 
            commencing in 262, and that it is an official Ptolemaic currency 
            probably minted at Pelusium. In her recent study of Aradian coinage, 
            Frederique Duyrat rejected Morkholm’s thesis, favored Hazzard’s 
            chronology, but left the mint unidentified. 




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  ... Lot 270 sold for high bid of $1500 [ $1725, or approx 1333.425 EUR, 879.75 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


Re-used by permission of Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com) and
                         Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)