Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3061 7-8 Jan 2018
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PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285/4-246 BC). AV trichryson or pentadrachm (23mm, 17.79 gm, 12h). NGC Choice MS 5/5 - 4/5. Alexandria, ca. 285-270 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, aegis around neck / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings starting to open; ф over A in left field. Svoronos 370 and pl. IX, 18. BMC Ptolemies p. 10, 89. Perfectly struck from dies of outstanding style, with full, brilliant luster.
Ex NGSA 4 (Geneva, 11-12 December 2006), lot 117 (realized 46,000 SF hammer).
The gold trichryson, a gold piece the approximate size and weight of an Attic silver tetradrachm, was first introduced in Egypt by Ptolemy I shortly after he assumed the title of basileus (king) in 305 BC. The weight was equivalent to five Ptolemaic silver drachms on the reduced Phoenician standard adopted by Ptolemy (hence the modern term "pentadrachm" usually applied to this denomination), but under the Ptolemaic system the value would have been 12 times as great, or 60 silver drachms, a huge sum in the ancient world and equivalent to perhaps $2,500 in modern U.S. currency. It was the largest gold coin the world had yet seen, testament to the vast wealth of Egypt. The Alexandria mint employed the best engravers in the production of its gold coinage and the quality of portraiture is typically outstanding. The production of gold trichrysons continued into the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, with new letters and control marks placed in their fields. Despite their enormous buying power, these large gold pieces seem to have circulated heavily, as most surviving specimens display considerable wear and surface marks. This splendid example, fully Mint State and struck from fresh dies of refined style, is surely one of the finest surviving specimens.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 40000-50000 USD
PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285/4-246 BC). AV trichryson or pentadrachm (23mm, 17.79 gm, 12h). NGC Choice MS 5/5 - 4/5. Alexandria, ca. 285-270 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, aegis around neck / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings starting to open; ф over A in left field. Svoronos 370 and pl. IX, 18. BMC Ptolemies p. 10, 89. Perfectly struck from dies of outstanding style, with full, brilliant luster.
Ex NGSA 4 (Geneva, 11-12 December 2006), lot 117 (realized 46,000 SF hammer).
The gold trichryson, a gold piece the approximate size and weight of an Attic silver tetradrachm, was first introduced in Egypt by Ptolemy I shortly after he assumed the title of basileus (king) in 305 BC. The weight was equivalent to five Ptolemaic silver drachms on the reduced Phoenician standard adopted by Ptolemy (hence the modern term "pentadrachm" usually applied to this denomination), but under the Ptolemaic system the value would have been 12 times as great, or 60 silver drachms, a huge sum in the ancient world and equivalent to perhaps $2,500 in modern U.S. currency. It was the largest gold coin the world had yet seen, testament to the vast wealth of Egypt. The Alexandria mint employed the best engravers in the production of its gold coinage and the quality of portraiture is typically outstanding. The production of gold trichrysons continued into the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, with new letters and control marks placed in their fields. Despite their enormous buying power, these large gold pieces seem to have circulated heavily, as most surviving specimens display considerable wear and surface marks. This splendid example, fully Mint State and struck from fresh dies of refined style, is surely one of the finest surviving specimens.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 40000-50000 USD