Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVIIIAuction date: 14 January 2025
Lot number: 389

Price realized: 3,875 USD   (Approx. 3,801 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description:


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC, or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 15.75 g, 1h). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 306-300 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck with tiny Δ in scales / AΛEΞANΔPOY, Athena Alkidemos advancing right; to right, monogram, Corinthan helmet right, and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. CPE 70; Svoronos 164; Zervos Issue 29, dies 518/c; SNG Copenhagen –; Noeske –; SNG Lockett 3393; Weber 8226. Toned, traces of undertype. EF. Well centered.

From the JTB Collection. Ex North River Collection (Triton XXVI, 10 January 2023), lot 424; RCM Collection (Triton XVI, 8 January 2013), lot 587; Triton VII (13 January 2004), lot 372.

Ptolemy I Soter, the son of a Macedonian nobleman, was a friend and intimate of Alexander III the Great from boyhood and accompanied him on his great career of conquest, from 333-323 BC. Upon Alexander's death in 323 BC, Ptolemy was granted the prized satrapy of Egypt, the richest of the formerly Persian provinces. Alone among the Diadochi ("successors"), he was content with his sphere of influence and did not risk all to succeed Alexander. However, he was not above using the great conqueror's image and reputation to secure his own position. He hijacked Alexander's funeral cortege as it was proceeding back to Macedon and had his embalmed corpse formally interred at Memphis in Egypt; later the body was relocated to a splendid mausoleum in Alexandria. Ptolemy's early coinage is modeled on that of Alexander and carries the conqueror's image and name, as seen on this remarkable tetradrachm, which shows Alexander wearing an elaborate elephant-skin headdress in honor of his victories in India, backed with a striking image of Athena in a fighting stance. Ptolemy declared his own kingship in 305/4 BC and was the only one of Alexander's Successors to die peacefully, in his bed, in 282 BC, having founded a dynasty that would last three centuries.

Estimate: 3000 USD

Match 1:
Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVIIIAuction date: 14 January 2025
Lot number: 390

Price realized: 5,250 USD   (Approx. 5,149 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description:


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC, or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 15.55 g, 11h). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Uncertain mint 1 in Egypt (Pelusion?). Struck circa 306-300 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck / AΛEΞANΔPOY, Athena Alkidemos advancing right; to right, monogram and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. CPE 77; Svoronos 107; Zervos Issue 55, dies 583/b (this coin referenced); O. Ravel, "Corinthian Hoard from Chiliomodi" in Transactions of the International Numismatic Congress 1936 (London, 1938), 7 and pl. VIII, 2 (this coin); SNG Copenhagen –. Attractively toned, some die wear and banker's mark on obverse. VF.

Purchased by the consignor from James Murray Coins and Antiques, in the 1990s. Ex Chiliomodi, 1932 Hoard (IGCH 85).


Estimate: 1500 USD

Match 2:
Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 572Auction date: 9 October 2024
Lot number: 430

Price realized: 1,900 USD   (Approx. 1,732 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description:


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC, or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 15.51 g, 12h). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 306-300 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck with tiny Δ in scales / Athena Alkidemos advancing right; to right, monogram, Corinthan helmet right, and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. CPE 70; Svoronos 164; Zervos Issue 29, dies 515/h; SNG Copenhagen –. Toned, numerous light scratches, chip at edge on obverse, graffiti in field on reverse. Near EF.

Ex Triton XXVII, Session 5 (17 January 2024), lot 5341; Vinchon (2 May 1973), lot 141.


Estimate: 1000 USD

Match 3:
Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 571Auction date: 25 September 2024
Lot number: 294

Price realized: 1,700 USD   (Approx. 1,522 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description:


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 15.64 g, 12h). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 306-300 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck with tiny Δ in scales / Athena Alkidemos advancing right, brandishing spear in right hand and wearing shield on extended left arm; to right, helmet, monogram, and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. CPE 67; Svoronos 165; Zervos Issue 27, dies 449/f; SNG Copenhagen –. In NGC encapsulation 5771930-002, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5, graffiti, test marks.


Estimate: 1000 USD

Match 4:
Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 573Auction date: 23 October 2024
Lot number: 344

Price realized: 70 USD   (Approx. 65 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description:


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC, or king, 305/4-282 BC. Æ Hemiobol (17.5mm, 3.35 g, 12h). Alexandreia mint. Series 2B, circa 306-294 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander III right, with horn of Ammon / Eagle, wings spread, standing left on thunderbolt; to left, monogram above helmet. CPE B19; Svoronos 167; SNG Copenhagen –. Dark green-brown surfaces, roughness, overstruck on uncertain type. Near VF.


Estimate: 100 USD

Match 5:
Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 572Auction date: 9 October 2024
Lot number: 429

Price realized: 850 USD   (Approx. 775 EUR)   Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees.
Lot description:


PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305/4 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 17.02 g, 12h). Attic standard. In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Memphis or Alexandreia mint. Struck circa 323/2-317/1 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, ram's head right wearing crown of Isis (Khnum), monogram below throne. Svoronos 6; Zervos Issue 3, dies 217/(216a) (unlisted die combination); Price 3964; SNG Copenhagen 9; McClean 3452 (same obv. die). Lightly toned, shallow test cut on edge, a few light cleaning scratches. VF.


Estimate: 300 USD