160 / 194
406
Ptolemaic Kingdom. Arsinöe II, wife of Ptolemy II. Gold Mnaieion (27.75 g), died 270 BC. Alexandria,
under Ptolemy II, ca. 253/2-246 BC. Diademed and veiled head of Arsinöe II right; above, tip of a lotus
scepter; behind, M. Rev.
ARSINOH FILADELFOU
, double cornucopiae bound with fillet. Svoronos
486; Olivier & Lorber dies 1/1; SNG Copenhagen -. Outstanding portrait! Lovely high relief style.
Ex-
tremely Rare - one of only five known with the M control.
Underlying luster present.
Superb Extremely Fine.
$10,000
From the Dionysus Collection.
The spectacular Ptolemaic mnaieion was one of the largest gold coins struck in the Greek world, exceeded only by the excru-
ciatingly rare 20-stater gold issue of the Graeco-Baktrian king Eukratides I (171-145 BC). The standard type for the mnaieion
was a portrait of Arsinöe II, the sister-wife of Ptolemy II Philadelphos. Their incestuous marriage was a cause of scandal
among the Greeks but served to establish an insulated and secure dynasty free from the meddling of foreign kings who might
become connected to the Ptolemaic house through marriage. The relationship between Arsinöe II and Ptolemy II also served
to elevate them beyond the normal mortal sphere and placed them in the realm of both the Greek and Egyptian gods since
Zeus married his own sister Hera as did Osiris marry Isis. The veil and stephane worn by Arsinöe as well as the scepter she
carries connect her to the iconography of both Hera and Aphrodite. The latter was often considered a Greek interpretation of
Egyptian Isis. The overflowing double cornucopiae of the reverse refers both to the fecundity of the marriage of Arsinöe II
and Ptolemy II (much overblown as it turned out since Arsinöe actually had no children by her brother) and to the abundance
of the land to be enjoyed under the just reign of Ptolemy II and Arsinöe II, the Theoi Philadelphoi (“sibling-loving gods”).
407
Ptolemaic Kingdom. Ptolemy IV Philopator. Silver Tetradrachm (13.75 g), 222-205/4 BC. Alexandria, ca.
217-215/0 BC. Jugate draped busts of Serapis and Isis right. Rev.
BASILEWS PTOLEMAIOU
, eagle
standing left, head right, on thunderbolt; over shoulder, filleted cornucopiae; between legs,
DI
. Svoronos
1124; SNG Copenhagen 197-8. Removed from an NGC slab where graded Ch XF; Strike: 5/5,
Surface: 3/5.
$3,500
From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection.