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Tetradrachm - Ptolemy II Alexandria
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 282 BC |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | An eagle stands left with closed wings atop a thunderbolt, the classic reverse type of the Ptolemaic coinage. To the left, a monogram appears above a Gallic or oval shield, serving as mint or magistrate control marks. The letter O is visible between the eagle's legs. The bold, naturalistic rendering of the eagle and the placement of control symbols reflect the mature Hellenistic die-cutting tradition of the Alexandrian mint. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Alexandria Mint |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Ptolemy II inherited a monetary system already deliberately divorced from the Attic weight standard by his father, who reduced the tetradrachm to a lighter Phoenician-derived standard — a calculated move to control trade flows and prevent foreign coins from circulating freely within Egypt. This closed currency system meant that merchants entering Egypt were compelled to exchange at royal banks, generating a steady premium for the crown.
The Alexandria mint under Ptolemy II was the administrative engine of an aggressively expanding commercial empire, and early issues like this one predate the consolidation of Cyprus and the Aegean possessions secured during the First Syrian War.