Sale: Nomos 2, Lot: 152. Estimate CHF27500.  Closing Date: Monday, 17 May 2010.  Sold For CHF22000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII. 180-116. Okotodrachm (Gold, ), circa 134 (?). Head of Arsinoë II (?) to right, wearing diadem and stephane, and with a lotos-tipped scepter behind her head; in field to left, Κ. Rev. ΑΡΣΙΝΟΗΣ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟΥ Double cornucopiae bound with fillet; border of dots. Du Chastel 298 (there dated to 134 BC). SNG Copenhagen 322. Svoronos 1498. Superb, lustrous and most attractive. Virtually as struck.

The head on the obverse of this coin, and the legend on the reverse, imply that what we have is merely a re-issue of the famous coinage of Arsinoe II, begun during her lifetime by Ptolemy II. Given the fact that the Ptolemies retained the head of Ptolemy I for virtually all the silver coins issued by the dynasty this seems reasonable. However, the prominent Κ on the obverse has lead to the belief that the portrait is actually that of either Cleopatra II or her daughter Cleopatra III; the first was the wife of both Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII, the second was the wife of Ptolemy VIII. It seems unlikely that we can ever be certain.