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Israel finds rare 2,200-year-old gold coin
DuPapa
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Archaeologists say they have uncovered the heaviest and most valuable gold coin ever found in Israel.
The 2,200-year-old coin weighs an ounce (28 grams) and was found at the Tel Kedesh site near the Lebanon border on June 22, according to Wednesday's statement from the antiquities authority.
It said this coin is six times the weight of most others from that era.
Donald Ariel, head of the antiquities authority coin department, said the coin dates to back to the rule of the Iraq-based Seleucid Empire, though it was minted by the rival Egyptian Ptolemies.
Ariel said the coin's image may represent Cleopatra I, wife of Ptolemy V. It is only the second gold Ptolemaic coin ever found in Israel. The first weighed just two grams (0.07 ounces).
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and is this coin listed in any catalog ?
<< <i>Beatifull design,
and is this coin listed in any catalog ? >>
Yep. It's quite a common coin, as far as large ancient gold coins go. The denomination is known as an octadrachm, and it was struck by Ptolemaic Egypt for over 150 years. The double-octadrachm, at 55 grams, is much scarcer; Sear reported in 1998 that only two of those were known.
<< <i>Ariel said the coin's image may represent Cleopatra I, wife of Ptolemy V. >>
Mr. Ariel should perhaps learn some more Greek. It clearly says on the coin "ARSINOES PHILADELPHOU" - it's supposed to be a picture of Queen Arsinoe II, the wife (and sister) of Ptolemy II. When she died in 270 BC, she was deified, and her name and portrait continued to appear on Egyptian octadrachms struck by her successors. See her Wildwinds page for examples of numerous different types of octadrachms.
This particular coin with "KI" below the cornucopiae, however, was struck in the Kition mint on Ptolemaic-controlled Cyprus, and dates from the period of Ptolemy VI. "LID" in the reverse field is the date, "Year 14", which would equate to 167/166 BC. Sear #7888, CV in 1998 of £3500 - the typical price for an Arsinoe octadrachm, whenever it was issued.
<< <i>It is only the second gold Ptolemaic coin ever found in Israel. >>
Nonsense. There have probably been dozens of these things found in Israel. What they really mean is that it's the first one found by an official archaeological dig, rather than accidentally or by looters.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD.
You continue to amaze me with your depth of knowledge. Thanks once again for the informative post.
Best wishes,
Peter Anthony
http://www.pandacollector.com
If I remember the full story correctly, Dr. Ariel did state that the coin was honoring Queen Arsinoe. However, the image itself could have been based on a portrait of a Cleopatra rather than that of Arsinoe.
The shortened versions of the story wanted to focus more on the well known name of Cleopatra. Not too many lay people ever heard of Arsinoe.
DPOTD