PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy V Epiphanes. 204-180 BC. AR

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy V Epiphanes. 204-180 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 13.81 g, 12h). Ptolemaïs (Ake) mint. Dated RY 6 (200/199 BC). Diademed and draped bust right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle standing left, wings closed, on thunderbolt; monogram to left, Lς (date) to right. Svoronos –; Carlen & Lorber p. 170; Mørkholm, Coins 3 (A1/P3 [Ioppe mint]); SNG Copenhagen –; BMC –; Boston MFA –; Noeske –. Lightly toned, struck with worn obverse die. VF. Extremely rare, only one other example known, in the ANS.

From the Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection. Ex Tucker Collection (Numismatic Fine Arts [XXIV], 18 October 1990), lot 1011.

This issue was originally attributed to Ioppe based on the presence of the canonical mint monogram of that city found on the year 5 coins of this series (the first of the this dated series). Although the monogram here more resembles that of Ptolemaïs, the obverse die link to the year 5 coins suggested it may be the result of an engraver's error, changing the central O in the monogram to an I. However, a unique year 7-dated issue was recently discovered that is obverse die linked to the year 5 and 6 coins, which also has the Ptolemaïs mint monogram (Morton & Eden 64, lot 85), which suggests that the mint monogram was not incorrectly engraved. Either the mint or the dies must have been relocated from Ioppe to Ptolemaïs after year 5.