

Ptolemaic kings of Egypt. Alexandria. Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera, 51-31 BC. Diobol (Bronze, 27.72 mm, 18.46 g). Diademed and draped bust right. Rev. [KΛEOΠATP] AΣ [BAΣIΛIΣΣ] HΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt and double cornucopia to left; mark of value Π not visible. Svoronos 1871. SNG Copenhagen 419. Weiser 183. Brown patina, near Very Fine.
Ex Künker Auktion 312, 08.10.2018, lot 2585. Ex Auktion Münz Zentrum 52, Köln 1984, lot 73.
This important and rare bronze coin, like the next no. 190 in the collection, is highly sought after regardless of its state of preservation for two main reasons: firstly, it bears on the obverse the famous portrait, courtly but strongly realistic, of Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Egypt of the Ptolemaic dynasty and historically one of the most prestigious personalities of the ancient world. Secondly, it bears witness to the transition from the money system of the Làgids to the Roman imperial system, as can be seen from specimen no. 191 in the collection where Augustus, having conquered Egypt in 30 B.C., in his first monetary issues, exactly reproduces the forms and images of Cleopatra's. Our specimen can be considered of excellent artistic quality and conservation for the coin type. Its numerical value, usually and improperly defined as 80 drachms, should be more correctly indicated as ‘80’ units. Recommended bibliography on the character: AAVV, “Cleopatra, Roma e l'Incantesimo dell'Egitto”, catalogue of the exhibition presented in Rome in 2013/2014 and curated by Giovanni Gentili, Milan 2013.