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Trichryson - Ptolemy II Alexandria
| Issuer | Ptolemaic Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 282 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 24.5 mm |
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| Reverse description | An eagle with head turned sharply to the left, standing in left profile with wings closed and tail feathers spread, perched upon a thunderbolt rendered horizontally across the lower field — an emblematic Ptolemaic reverse type evoking Jovian authority. To the left of the eagle, a small oval shield is visible in the field. The Greek royal legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ is inscribed in two vertical columns flanking the eagle, reading from right to left on the left side and left to right on the right side. A dotted border frames the composition. The overall design is bold and deeply struck, conveying the dynastic power and religious symbolism central to Ptolemaic coinage. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The trichryson — worth three gold chrysoi — was part of Ptolemy II's ambitious overhaul of the Ptolemaic monetary system shortly after his accession, deliberately designed to exclude non-Ptolemaic coinage from Egyptian markets. The kingdom imposed strict exchange controls requiring foreign coins to be reminted at royal mints, generating seigniorage profit while enforcing a closed currency zone. Alexandria was the only authorized production center for this denomination.
Svoronos 551 places this among the earliest Alexandrian gold of the new reign.