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Ptolemy I as Satrap


Ian

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Silver Tetradrachm (15.54 gms) struck for Ptolemy I (Soter) as Satrap of Egypt circa 310 /305 BC. The scan below doesn't do the coin much justice but its as good as I can get it.

Obverse has bust of Alexander the Great wearing elephant headdress. A very cleanly struck neat `omega' character countermark has been added to the right of Alexander's chin at some point in antiquity.

Reverse shows Athena walking to right sporting a spear and shield with an eagle in the lower right field. There are three monograms. one in the left field and two in the right. Sadly, I have no idea what these are in terms of their significance. The reference I have been given is Copenhagen 18. The closest i've seen to this is on Wildwinds as Copenhagen 18 variant, but their one only has the one monogram. Any information would be gratefully received :)

1047960.jpg

 

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The mention of the omega mark makes me wonder how long ancient coins remained in circulation. Would a first century A.D. Roman occasionally find a 5th century B.C. coin in his change?

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true story. When I was about 12 yrs old, I actually received a well worn roman silver denier in my change (the shopkeeper thought it was a sixpence....so did I at the time of exchange). 

i wonder....would anyone back in Roman times argue much about being presented with a large slug of silver for payment (?).....irrespective of what was stamped on it.....

 

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