Ptolemy III Euergetes - Chi Rho - 30.58 g AE 34.5 - Hemidrachm

Ptolemaic Egypt produced some of the largest bronze coins ever struck in antiquity. Under the Ptolemies, bronze denominations reached sizes far beyond anything typical of the Greek or later Roman world, with some issues weighing well over 100 grams. These massive bronzes served as practical, high-value currency within Egypt's relatively closed monetary system, while smaller denominations such as this hemidrachm provided a more manageable form of bronze currency for everyday transactions.

This hemidrachm was struck at Alexandria between 246 and 222 BC under Ptolemy III Euergetes, who expanded Ptolemaic power to its territorial height through his victories in the Third Syrian War. The obverse depicts the diademed head of Zeus-Ammon facing right, wearing a taenia with basileion, linking the Ptolemaic king to the divine authority of the syncretic Greek-Egyptian deity. The reverse shows an eagle standing left on a thunderbolt with its head turned left and wings closed, accompanied by a filleted cornucopia in the left field and a ΧΡ (Chi-Rho) monogram between its legs, together with the inscription ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ("of King Ptolemy"). It is catalogued as Svoronos 965 and SNG Copenhagen 172–173.

Obverse: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right, wearing taenia with basileion

Reverse: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, filleted cornucopia in left field, ΧΡ (Chi-Rho) monogram between legs; ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ("of King Ptolemy")

Catalogues: Svoronos 965; SNG Copenhagen 172–173

Mint Info: Alexandria, 246–222 BC

Mass: 30.58 g

Diameter: 34.5 mm