Extremely Rare Signed Die
678. Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Ptolemy I Soter, as satrap, AR Tetradrachm. Alexandria, circa 313-312 BC. Head of the deified Alexander III to right, wearing mitra of Dionysos and elephant skin headdress, with aegis around his neck, and with horn of Ammon on his forehead; small K between elephant’s ear and aegis / Athena Promachos advancing right, hurling spear with her right hand and with shield over her extended left arm; AΛEΞANΔPOY to left, eagle with closed wings standing on thunderbolt to right with ΔI below. Svoronos 33α (K not noted); Zervos Issue 16, obv. die 273; SNG Copenhagen –; BMC 12 corr. (control marks). 16.37g, 28mm, 12h. About Extremely Fine, rev. porous. Extremely Rare with the K signature mark - 9 examples from 2 obverse dies noted by Zervos.
7,500
There are very few instances of signed dies known for Alexander, though one of these, a lifetime drachm struck at Miletos, is also signed ‘K’ (Price 2090A; ADM I 80); we might speculate that this could represent the work of the same individual, though of course this is far from certain. From a private German collection; Ex CNG 90, 23 May 2012, lot 761; Ex Roma Numismatics II, 2 October 2011, lot 337.
679. Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Ptolemy II Philadelphos, with Arsinöe II, Ptolemy I, and Berenike I AV Half Mnaïeion (Tetradrachm). Alexandria, circa 270-260 BC. Conjoined busts of diademed and draped Ptolemy II, and diademed and veiled Arsinöe II right; AΔEΛΦΩN above, Gallic shield behind / Conjoined busts of diademed and draped Ptolemy I, and diademed and veiled Berenike I; ΘEΩN above. Svoronos 604; SNG Copenhagen 133; Noeske 38; Boston MFA 2275; Dewing 2753-4. 13.91g, 21mm, 12h. Extremely Fine.
5,000
680. Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Arsinöe II Philadelphos AV Mnaïeion (Oktadrachm). Struck under Ptolemy VI-VIII. Alexandria, circa 180-116 BC. Head right, veiled and wearing stephane; lotus-tipped sceptre in background, K behind / APΣINOHΣ ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOY, double cornucopiae, grape bunches hanging at sides, bound with fillet. Svoronos 1242, 1374, and 1498–9; SNG Copenhagen 321–2; Noeske –; Boston MFA 2293 and 2298. 27.71g, 28mm, 12h. Extremely Fine.
7,000
681. Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Ptolemy VI Philometor AR Tetradrachm. Alexandria, circa 180-170 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis knotted round neck / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ around. Svoronos 1489; SNG Copenhagen 265. 14.20g, 28mm, 12h. Extremely Fine.
97
750