Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3048 11 August 2016
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Ancients
PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285/4-246 BC). AV trichryson or pentadrachm (23mm, 17.69 gm, 12h). Sidon, ca. 285/4 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, aegis around neck, tiny Δ in curl of hair behind ear / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings starting to open; ΣI in left field. Svoronos 712, pl. 21a, 1. Extremely rare! Boldly struck from dies signed by the "delta engraver," the fields exhibiting full, brilliant mint luster. NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5.Svoronos gives this rare gold issue with the letters ΣΙ in the left reverse field to the mint of Sidon in Phoenicia, which belonged to the Ptolemaic Kingdom during the reign of Ptolemy II and produced a prolific coinage in silver and bronze; the gold on the Ptolemaic pattern from Sidon, however, remains exceedingly rare, although gold staters of the Alexander type from the city are relatively plentiful. If Svoronos's attribution is correct, the obverse die at least was likely carved in Alexandria, as it bears the tiny Δ mintmark of an engraver known as "Delta," whose work can be detected from the satrapal coinage of Ptolemy I (323-305 BC) and whose dies are regarded as some of the most beautiful in the Hellenistic series.
Estimate: 8000-11000 USD
PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285/4-246 BC). AV trichryson or pentadrachm (23mm, 17.69 gm, 12h). Sidon, ca. 285/4 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, aegis around neck, tiny Δ in curl of hair behind ear / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings starting to open; ΣI in left field. Svoronos 712, pl. 21a, 1. Extremely rare! Boldly struck from dies signed by the "delta engraver," the fields exhibiting full, brilliant mint luster. NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5.Svoronos gives this rare gold issue with the letters ΣΙ in the left reverse field to the mint of Sidon in Phoenicia, which belonged to the Ptolemaic Kingdom during the reign of Ptolemy II and produced a prolific coinage in silver and bronze; the gold on the Ptolemaic pattern from Sidon, however, remains exceedingly rare, although gold staters of the Alexander type from the city are relatively plentiful. If Svoronos's attribution is correct, the obverse die at least was likely carved in Alexandria, as it bears the tiny Δ mintmark of an engraver known as "Delta," whose work can be detected from the satrapal coinage of Ptolemy I (323-305 BC) and whose dies are regarded as some of the most beautiful in the Hellenistic series.
Estimate: 8000-11000 USD