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Nomos 22

22 June 2021
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zurich

overview

Issued During the Fifth Syrian War

Estimate: 800 CHF
Hammer Price:  2600 CHF
Lot 262
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PTOLEMAIC KINGS OF EGYPT. Ptolemy V Epiphanes, 205-180 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25.5 mm, 14.12 g, 1 h), Fifth Syrian War issue, uncertain mint in Phoenicia, c. 202-199. Diademed and draped bust of Ptolemy V to right. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ Eagle with closed wings standing left on a thunderbolt; to left, monogram of ΠKA. Mørkholm, Coins 18 (A2/P5). SNG Copenhagen -. Svoronos 1258, pl. XLI, 24. Lightly toned and with a pleasing portrait of the king. A couple of light scratches, otherwise, good very fine.

From a Swiss private collection, acquired from Michel Dürr in early 1980s (coin sold with the original ticket).

Both Svoronos, pp. 208-9, and H. Kyrieleis, "Die Porträtmünzen Ptolemaios' V und seiner Eltern" Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts 88 (1973), pp. 218-9, attribute this issue to the Aetolian mercenary captain Skopas who became the Egyptian commander-in-chief during the war with Antiochos III. They base this identification on the ΠKA monogram, seeing in it a reading or partial reading of Skopas' name. Mørkholm suggests otherwise. He finds the clear lack of the letters Σ and O in the monogram - key components of the name - convincing proof that the monogram cannot be that of Skopas, but moreover points out the extreme hazard in trying to correlate well-known historical persons to coin issues based on monograms or initials on Hellenistic coins. He instead suggests the monogram is like most any other found on ancient coins, that it is simply a magistrate's or moneyer's monogram.

Online bidding closes: 22 Jun 2021, 10:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 29 Mar 2024, 00:56:31 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:2600 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 22 Juni 2021 at 10:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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