★ Superb specimen ★

Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Tyre. Ptolemy II Philadelphοs 285-246 BC.
Pentadrachm AV

22 mm, 17,82 g

Diademed head of Ptolemy I to right, wearing aegis around neck; dotted border / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle, with closed wings, standing left on thunderbolt; in left field, H above club; dotted border.

Good Extremely Fine

Svoronos 636 and pl. XIX, 8; BMC 74; Weber 8256.

The gold trichryson, minted in Tyre (modern-day Lebanon), is an impressive example of the sophistication and symbolic importance of Ptolemaic coinage. This coin, weighing approximately 17.8 grams, mirrors the Attic tetradrachm in its standardization and value, and it was introduced around 305 BC when Ptolemy I acquired the title of Basileus (King). This title marked his formal break from Alexander’s successors, establishing him as an independent ruler in Egypt. The trichryson was also known as a pentadrachm due to its equivalence in value to five silver drachms, or 60 drachms in total, making it a high-value coin typically used for large transactions or diplomatic exchanges. The control letter "H" associated with the club — a symbol of Heracles and a divine emblem in Greco-Egyptian tradition — reflects a regulated monetary system, ensuring authenticity and consistency across mints like Alexandria and Tyre. This trichryson was the largest gold coin issued until the introduction of the 100-drachm mnaieion around 272 BC, an even more substantial coin that further demonstrated the growing wealth and influence of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.