Sale: CNG 67, Lot: 954. Estimate $400.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 22 September 2004.  Sold For $510. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy VI Philometor. 180-145 BC. AR Didrachm (7.07 gm). Pelusium mint. Dated year 107 (156/5 BC). Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; PZY (date) on thunderbolt. Svoronos 1214; Mørkholm, Ptolemaic, 227; SNG Copenhagen 554; Hazzard pg. 112, c1101. Good VF, toned. ($400)

This dated didrachm belongs to an issue that is much disputed among the experts. Svoronos classified it as an issue of Ptolemy IV struck in 204 BC. Mørkholm considered it to be a civic coinage of Aradus using Ptolemaic types and dated to a local era (Year 107 = 153/2 BC, reign of Ptolemy V). In a forthcoming work on the Ptolemies, C. Lorber follows Hazard by placing it in the reign of Ptolemy VI and dating it to 156/5 BC. Further, she agrees with Hazzard that it was struck at Pelusium.