Watch List notes:

Ptolemaic, Ptolemy I. ; Ptolemaic, Ptolemy I; 305-283 BC. Alexandria, c. 307/6 BC, Tetradrachm, Attic Standard, 16.82g. ? Artist Signed Die. CPE-56, Svoronos-37. Obv: Head of Alexander III r., wearing elephant-skin headdress that merges with aegis tied below chin; tiny letter ? placed beside the elephant's ear where it meets the aegis. Rx: A?E?AN?PoY upwards on l., Athena Promachos advancing r., hurling spear and holding shield; in r. field F?o monogram and eagle standing r. on thunderbolt. Rare: Zervos recorded only 13 specimens of our tetradrachm, from five obverse dies. This coin is part of Ptolemy's scarce first issue of Elephant-skin headdress/Athena tetradrachms that still used the Attic weight standard, between c. 312/11 and c. 306 BC; after that the same types were continued but the weight of each coin was reduced by c. 1.5 g. The meaning of the tiny ? on Alexander's elephant-skin headdress on the obverse is uncertain; according to Lorber it could be "an engraver's signature or something else - e.g. the mark of a die-engraving workshop" (p. 257).This is an exceptional early issue of this type struck at Attic weight which were called in, melted, and restruck at Rhodian weight. This is one of the few survivors. Exceptional quality. Obverse in high relief. MS

Estimate: $5250