The Ptolemaic Bronze Coin Obverse Types

Ptolemaic Bronze Coin Obverse Types

All content, design, and descriptions are (C)2006-10 by Daniel Wolf
All rights reserved worldwide. No copying, use, or distribution without written permission. Many thanks to additional photo contributors who are credited as shown.

This page is your starting point for identifying Ptolemaic bronze coins pictorially.
There are numerous design types and this pages presents photos of many of the types of obverse designs you are likely to encounter.

Zeus Ammon The Zeus Ammon design figure is the most common type on obverses of Ptolemaic bronze coins. It's quite easy to recognize with the prominent curved 'Horn of Ammon' located about halfway between the forehead and the back of the head, above where the ear would be seen if not covered by flowing hair, The horn curves over the diadem (headband) and is usually visible even on worn or smaller coins. There is a protrusion above the top of the diadem; a vertical thin 'lobe' (basileon) that varies in length and visibility. Zeus has a flowing beard and long flowing hair wrapped in the headband (diadem), always facing to the right. This type style is quite easy to recognize and appears on hundreds of coin types in almost all sizes. Zeus Ammon is by far the most common obverse type. All of the very large sizes (40mm and up) are of this obverse type.
PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection

Zeus Laureate The Zeus Laureate design figure has a wreath of laurel leaves (leaves are pointed toward the top of the head) encircling the head and restraining the flowing hair, with no Ammon horn or 'basileon'. It's quite easy to recognize with the flowing beard and long flowing hair wrapped in the fully visible wreath and also always facing to the right. Seen on a large number of mid-range diameter coins, the second-most widely seen obverse design type after the Zeus Ammon.
PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection

Deified Alexander the Great in Lionskin Headdress The main figure has full beard and the entire head is wrapped within a headdress in the form of a lion's pelt, with its forearms tied beneath Alexander's chin. Depending on the coin quality you can sometimes see the lion's head clearly spread over the top of the main figure's head and the lion's mane flowing down the back and side of Alexander's neck where you see long hair in other Ammon and Laureate Zeus designs. This design is found on only 9 Svoronos catalog entries and greatly narrows down your attribution search.
PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection	Photo Courtesy CNG	Photo Courtesy CNG

Deified Alexander the Great in Elephantskin Headdress The figure is a beardless Alexander the Great in this design, clearly wearing a headdress of an elephant's skin. The trunk is often clearly visible curved above the figure's head, tusks protruding forward above Alexander's face and the large triangular elephant ear hanging down at the back of Alexander's neck. This is an easily recognized iconic type seen on many coins of small to medium size, but never on the largest sizes. Even coins that are struck on small flans show the ear and the wrinkled trunk clearly at the top of figure's head even if the coiled trunk and tusks are off the edge of the coin. Seen on small to medium diameter coins of 68 Svoronos catalog entries ranging from Ptolemy I to Ptolemy VI.
PtolemAE Collection	PtolemAE Collection	Photo Courtesy CNG	PtolemAE Collection

'Deified Horned' Alexander The Great with Long Hair Alexander The Great is depicted with long hair (in a headband, or diadem) and a curved Ammon horn, beardless and with long hair with no other adornment. This type is seen on 34 Svoronos catalog entries, all small coins of ranging from about 1 to 6 grams, all attributed to Ptolemy I and II. No later rulers' coins or larger sizes appear with this obverse design.
PtolemAE Collection	Photo Courtesy CNG	Photo Courtesy CNG	Photo Courtesy CNG

Other Male Head (Head of Ptolemic King or Ruler) The diademed (with headband) beardless head, 'bare-headed' bust, or 'helmeted' head of a Ptolemaic ruler (king) is depicted facing right. Several examples show different kings but they can be grouped as a type for the purposes of greatly narrowing down the possibilities for attributions. The types shown here show a tall bust of Ptolemy III and a head of Ptolemy II. Found on fewer than 100 different Svoronos catalog entries, all of small to medium size. Many of the 'bust of Ptolemy III' types have a standing figure of Marathos on the reverse with Phoenician script dating at left. There are many catalog entries for ruler-head obverses which fall into related groups of similar reverse designs. The helmeted ruler head occurs on only a few types.
Bare-head Bust PtolemAE Collection	Beardless Diademed Head PtolemAE Collection	Helmeted Head Photo Courtesy CNG

Two Heads (Jugate Heads of King and Queen) The two heads (side by side in profile view) are of a Ptolemaic king and queen. Only found on a single Svoronos catalog entry - Svoronos #1137.
Photo Courtesy CNG

Queen Portraits - ARSINOE, BERENIKE, KLEOPATRA VII Queen portraits are of three persons: Arsinoe depicted in a veil headgear (28 Svoronos entries). Berenike (23 entries). Kleopatra VII is shown with hair braided and tied up in a bun (14 entries). Each Queen is depicted on what is typically a short range of almost consecutive entries mostly with minor differences.
Arsinoe PtolemAE Collection	Berenike PtolemAE Collection	Kleopatra VII PtolemAE Collection

Goddess Portraits - ISIS, APHRODITE, ATHENA, TYCHE Goddess portraits only account for a total of 21 Svoronos types and if properly identified by their portrait type they greatly narrow the attribution search. Pictured left to right here - Isis appears with hanging rows of curls, facing right (9 Svoronos types, later rulers such as Ptolemy V and VI). The Isis head is an easily identified type and seen on many coins available to collectors - small to medium sizes often in nice condition. Aphrodite is depicted with a headgear (polos - 7 Svoronos types) or stephane (Svoronos #79 and 80). The Aphrodite coins are all smaller sizes and attributed to Ptolemy I only. Athena is depicted in a helmet on only 2 Svoronos entries (#1194, 1195). Tyche is depicted with the usual 'turreted' crown (like a chess-piece rook or castle) on one coin, Svoronos #1901 of Kleopatra VII.
Isis Head PtolemAE Collection	Aphrodite Wearing Polos PtolemAE Collection	Aphrodite Wearing Stephane PtolemAE Collection	Helmeted Head of Athena - See Svoronos Plates.	Tyche - see Svoronos Plate 63 #28. Typical Tyche 'turret-crowned' head.

Other Types - RAM, CROCODILE, THUNDERBOLT, INSCRIPTION These four remaining types each account for a tiny number of Svoronos catalog entries. The Ram appears on #1243 and #1244. The Crocodile obverse is only on Svoronos #1903. The Thunderbolt central figure obverse is Svoronos #1246. A large central inscription obverse is only on Svoronos #1916.
Ram - see Svoronos Plate 40 #24.	Crocodile - see Svoronos Plate 63 #30.	Thunderbolt PtolemAE Collection	Inscription - see Svoronos Plate 64 #6.

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