Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3081 12-13 Jan 2020
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Ancients
PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Arsinöe II Philadelphus (277-270/268 BC). AR decadrachm (33mm, 35.59 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF★ 5/5 - 4/5, light graffito. Posthumous issue of Alexandria under Ptolemy II, ca. 249/8-246/5 BC. Veiled head of the deified Arsinöe right, wearing stephane and horn of Ammon, lotus-tipped scepter in background, it's tip visible above her head; ΩΩ in left field, dotted border / APΣINOHΣ-ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOY, double cornucopia bound with fillet, containing pyramidal cakes, pomegranates and other fruits, grape cluster hanging from the rim of each horn; dotted border. CPE 366. Svoronos 959. Troxell, Museum Notes 28 (1983), p. 45, 55g. Very rare, particularly so with these mintmarks. Light graffito N in reverse left field, otherwise deeply struck and beautifully toned.
From a Private Japanese Collection. Ex Lexington Collection of Jonathan K. Kern (Heritage Auction 3033, ANA, 8 August 2014), lot 23050.
The ostentatious display of Egypt's wealth under the Ptolemies was not confined to gold coinage. Ptolemy I and his immediate successors also struck silver coins in larger denominations than any contemporary kingdom or city-state. Along with the vast outpouring of gold in the name of his sister-wife Arsinöe II, Ptolemy II also struck silver decadrachms displaying her veiled portrait backed with the cornucopia, symbolizing Egypt's agricultural abundance. Having died in about 270 BC, Arsinöe is shown as a goddess, with the tip of a ram's horn (symbolic of the god Ammon) poking out from beneath her veil, and the lotus-tipped scepter of the goddess Isis just visible above her head.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-ptolemaic-egypt-arsinoe-ii-philadelphus-277-270-268-bc-ar-decadrachm-33mm-3559-gm-12h-ngc-choice-x/a/3081-32035.s?type=CoinArchives3081
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-12000 USD
PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Arsinöe II Philadelphus (277-270/268 BC). AR decadrachm (33mm, 35.59 gm, 12h). NGC Choice XF★ 5/5 - 4/5, light graffito. Posthumous issue of Alexandria under Ptolemy II, ca. 249/8-246/5 BC. Veiled head of the deified Arsinöe right, wearing stephane and horn of Ammon, lotus-tipped scepter in background, it's tip visible above her head; ΩΩ in left field, dotted border / APΣINOHΣ-ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOY, double cornucopia bound with fillet, containing pyramidal cakes, pomegranates and other fruits, grape cluster hanging from the rim of each horn; dotted border. CPE 366. Svoronos 959. Troxell, Museum Notes 28 (1983), p. 45, 55g. Very rare, particularly so with these mintmarks. Light graffito N in reverse left field, otherwise deeply struck and beautifully toned.
From a Private Japanese Collection. Ex Lexington Collection of Jonathan K. Kern (Heritage Auction 3033, ANA, 8 August 2014), lot 23050.
The ostentatious display of Egypt's wealth under the Ptolemies was not confined to gold coinage. Ptolemy I and his immediate successors also struck silver coins in larger denominations than any contemporary kingdom or city-state. Along with the vast outpouring of gold in the name of his sister-wife Arsinöe II, Ptolemy II also struck silver decadrachms displaying her veiled portrait backed with the cornucopia, symbolizing Egypt's agricultural abundance. Having died in about 270 BC, Arsinöe is shown as a goddess, with the tip of a ram's horn (symbolic of the god Ammon) poking out from beneath her veil, and the lotus-tipped scepter of the goddess Isis just visible above her head.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-ptolemaic-egypt-arsinoe-ii-philadelphus-277-270-268-bc-ar-decadrachm-33mm-3559-gm-12h-ngc-choice-x/a/3081-32035.s?type=CoinArchives3081
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-12000 USD