Kings of Macedonia, Ptolemy Ceraunos, 281-279 BC. Hemiobol

Kings of Macedonia, Ptolemy Ceraunos, 281-279 BC; Hemiobol, 3.89g. CPE-B160. Obv: Laureate head of Zeus r. Rx: Eagle standing l. on thunderbolt, Θ in l. field, monogram in r. field. Ceraunos was the eldest son of Ptolemy I and Eurydice. When he was replaced as their father's heir by the future Ptolemy II, Ceraunos left Alexandria and wandered the courts of the Diadochi, paying visits to Lysimachus and Seleucus. He eventually assassinated the latter and marched the Seleucid army to Macedonia where he had himself acclaimed king. After a brief reign there, Ceraunos was killed in battle against invading Gauls. Previously, these scarce coins were identified as issues of the Macedonian city Paroreia, but on page 37 of CPE, Part 1, Volume 2, Cathy Lorber notes that "The catalogue of varieties [of bronze coins of Ceraunos] benefited from the research of D. MacDonald and D. Wolf, who plan a publication on these bronzes." Sadly, that paper had not appeared at the time of Prof. MacDonald's death. Ex collection of Prof. David MacDonald.. EF