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Pentekaidekadrachm - Berenike II Alexandria
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 245 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Pentekaidekadrachm (15) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A large cornucopia (horn of plenty) rendered in fine detail at centre, filled with abundant fruits including grapes and grain, and adorned with fillets hanging from its base. Two conical heaps, likely representing loaves or offerings, are placed symmetrically at either side of the horn. At the lower section, a small figure — possibly an eagle — is visible beneath the cornucopia's base. The Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ ΒΕΡΕΝΙΚΗΣ is arranged in two columns flanking the central device, reading outward, all within a beaded border. |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
This denomination — fifteen drachms on the Ptolemaic standard — was almost certainly struck as a ceremonial or diplomatic issue rather than a coin intended for everyday exchange. Berenike II came to Egypt as queen consort of Ptolemy III Euergetes following the death of her first husband, Demetrius the Fair of Cyrene, whom she reportedly had killed. The Alexandria mint produced these heavy silver pieces in very limited numbers, and surviving examples are exceptionally rare.
Svoronos 988 remains the foundational reference for this type, though Lorber's later corpus refined the die linkage significantly.