368
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy I, as satrap, AV Stater. Alexandria, circa 312/11 BC. Diademed
In Auction XII
Beschreibung
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy I, as satrap, AV Stater. Alexandria, circa 312/11 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin and aegis, horn of Ammon over ear / Prow of galley to right, adorned with one large and one small protective eye. Svoronos 25; Zervos Type V, Issue 87 (unlisted dies); Gulbenkian 1071 = Jameson 999; Saida 41; Triton XIX, 2076 = Nomos 7, 149 = NAC 46, 303 (same dies). 8.60g, 16mm, 12h. Mint State. Extremely Rare, one of only six known, and one of only three in private hands (the others in Athens, Lisbon, and Paris). One of the greatest rarities of the Ptolemaic coinage, this type is not only wonderful in its simplicity, but stunningly beautiful in its execution. Bearing neither inscription nor control symbols – a unique feature that makes it stand out from the rest of Ptolemy’s coinage – the type nonetheless is inextricably linked to the Athena Promachos and Zeus Aëtophoros tetradrachms and a unique gold stater (NAC 66, 77) which all use the deified head of Alexander wearing an elephant skin headdress as the obverse type, as well as small bronzes which feature a portrait of Ptolemy I and a prow on the reverse. Zervos, in his study of the early coinage of Ptolemy I, although certain that the type was contemporary to the Attic weight silver coins and minted at Alexandria, was unable to ascribe it to a historical context. Clearly struck in celebration of his naval exploits, the occasion for the striking of this coin may be found in the reconquest of Cyprus in 313/312 from cities who had switched their allegiance to Antigonus Monophthalmos. Although his own Cypriot allies had been conducting operations against those aligned with Antigonos for several years with some success, Ptolemy himself proceeded to Cyprus at the head of a significant army and fleet. Once there he swiftly eliminated the pro-Antigonid factions, capturing and killing the king of Kition, and subduing Marion and Lapithos-Kyrenia, the former of which was destroyed. Many of the formerly independent kingdoms of Cyprus were subjugated or absorbed by his local allies. The use of the head of Alexander on the obverse of this coin and others mentioned above is a clear illustration of Ptolemy’s claim to be the legitimate successor to the legacy of Alexander. Intercepting the body of Alexander in 322/1 in Syria as it was being moved from Babylon to Macedon and diverting it to Memphis was a very direct statement of this claim, since by custom, Macedonian kings asserted their right to the throne by burying their predecessor. Alone among the Diadochi, Ptolemy did not attempt to regain control over the entirety of Alexander’s empire, but of all the successor states, his came the closest to realising Alexander’s dream of cultural unity.
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Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy I, as satrap, AV Stater. Alexandria, circa 312/11 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin and aegis, horn of Ammon over ear / Prow of galley to right, adorned with one large and one small protective eye. Svoronos 25; Zervos Type V, Issue 87 (unlisted dies); Gulbenkian 1071 = Jameson 999; Saida 41; Triton XIX, 2076 = Nomos 7, 149 = NAC 46, 303 (same dies). 8.60g, 16mm, 12h. Mint State. Extremely Rare, one of only six known, and one of only three in private hands (the others in Athens, Lisbon, and Paris). One of the greatest rarities of the Ptolemaic coinage, this type is not only wonderful in its simplicity, but stunningly beautiful in its execution. Bearing neither inscription nor control symbols – a unique feature that makes it stand out from the rest of Ptolemy’s coinage – the type nonetheless is inextricably linked to the Athena Promachos and Zeus Aëtophoros tetradrachms and a unique gold stater (NAC 66, 77) which all use the deified head of Alexander wearing an elephant skin headdress as the obverse type, as well as small bronzes which feature a portrait of Ptolemy I and a prow on the reverse. Zervos, in his study of the early coinage of Ptolemy I, although certain that the type was contemporary to the Attic weight silver coins and minted at Alexandria, was unable to ascribe it to a historical context. Clearly struck in celebration of his naval exploits, the occasion for the striking of this coin may be found in the reconquest of Cyprus in 313/312 from cities who had switched their allegiance to Antigonus Monophthalmos. Although his own Cypriot allies had been conducting operations against those aligned with Antigonos for several years with some success, Ptolemy himself proceeded to Cyprus at the head of a significant army and fleet. Once there he swiftly eliminated the pro-Antigonid factions, capturing and killing the king of Kition, and subduing Marion and Lapithos-Kyrenia, the former of which was destroyed. Many of the formerly independent kingdoms of Cyprus were subjugated or absorbed by his local allies. The use of the head of Alexander on the obverse of this coin and others mentioned above is a clear illustration of Ptolemy’s claim to be the legitimate successor to the legacy of Alexander. Intercepting the body of Alexander in 322/1 in Syria as it was being moved from Babylon to Macedon and diverting it to Memphis was a very direct statement of this claim, since by custom, Macedonian kings asserted their right to the throne by burying their predecessor. Alone among the Diadochi, Ptolemy did not attempt to regain control over the entirety of Alexander’s empire, but of all the successor states, his came the closest to realising Alexander’s dream of cultural unity.
Auction XII
Auktionsdatum
Ort der Versteigerung
The Alto Room
The Cavendish Hotel London
81 Jermyn Street
London
SW1Y 6JF
United Kingdom
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Wichtige Informationen
ROMA NUMISMATICS
AUCTION XII
29 September 2016
11:00 Greek Coins
13:00 Roman, Migration Period, Byzantine and World Coins
18:00 End of Sale
Location:
The Alto Room
The Cavendish Hotel London
81 Jermyn Street
London
SW1Y 6JF
United Kingdom
Viewing:
At the office of Roma Numismatics
20 Fitzroy Square
London, W1T 6EJ
United Kingdom
From August 29th – September 28th:
Monday – Friday, 09:30 – 17:30
Lots will not be available for viewing during the sale.
Roma Numismatics Limited
20 Fitzroy Square
London
W1T 6EJ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7121 6518
www.romanumismatics.com
email: info@romanumismatics.com
AGB
CONDITIONS OF SALE
The following terms and conditions will apply to this auction:
I. All estimates are in POUNDS STERLING. The opening bids will be 80% of the estimate unless there are existing higher bids. There will be a 19% Buyer’s Fee added to the hammer price.
II. VAT at 20% (applicable to customers within the UK and EU) is due on the Buyer’s Fee only, not the hammer price.
III. The auctioneer guarantees the absolute authenticity of any and all coins sold. There is no expiration to this guarantee. Any coins subsequently found to be not authentic will be exchanged for a full refund of the purchase price.
IV. Absentee bids must be submitted and received by 20:00 on the day before the auction at the latest. It is the bidder’s responsibility to ensure that bids have been received by Roma Numismatics.
V. All grades and descriptions are the opinion of the cataloguer. Conditions of all lots are as per the photographs displayed on the Roma Numismatics website; condition reports are available upon request. It is not possible to note all marks or defects, and thus customers are encouraged to carefully examine in person all lots that they are interested in bidding on. Bids, once placed, are final and will not be rescinded. If, however, the description is found to be incorrect, the item is returnable within 21 days after the sale. No other returns will be accepted except on the grounds of non-authenticity. All prospective bidders who exercise the opportunity to examine lots in hand shall assume all responsibility for any damage they cause in so doing. The auctioneer shall have sole discretion in determining the value of the damage caused, which shall be promptly paid by the prospective bidder.
VI. The auctioneer will have absolute discretion to accept or decline any bid, withdraw lots from sale at any time until such point as the purchaser takes physical possession, re-open any lot, even after the hammer has fallen, in which a bidding error has occurred, and to determine in the event of a dispute, the final winner of a lot or to rescind the sale and put the lot up for sale again.
VII. For the protection of mail or absentee bidders, no ‘unlimited’ or ‘buy’ bids will be accepted. When identical bids are received for the same lot, preference will be given to the bid received first. A mail bid will take preference over a floor bid.
- Some lots may carry a reserve. The auctioneer reserves the right not to sell an item below the confidential price, or will repurchase the item on behalf of the consignor or for the account of Roma Numismatics Ltd. If a reserve exists the auctioneer reserves the right to bid on any lot on behalf of the consignor up to the amount of the reserve against any floor or mail bidders. The auctioneer also reserves the right to bid on any lot on behalf of Roma Numismatics Ltd.
IX. Title remains with the owner until such time as the customer has paid in full.
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US COIN IMPORT RESTRICTIONS
Any coins in this sale that fall under US import restrictions but may still be legally imported into the US are accompanied by documentation proving that they were outside of the source country prior to the effective date, or are accompanied by a valid export certificate issued by the country of origin.
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