ObverseImage: Wikimedia Commons · akhenatenator · CC0
Ptolemaic Tetradrachm
Greece
-305–-30
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$38.95
Based on Silver spot price ($79.17/oz) · 90.0% purity · 17g
Updated 6:41 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Greece |
| Years Minted | -305–-30 |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 17 g |
| Diameter | 27 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Design
Obverse
The obverse features the portrait of the ruling Ptolemy, typically wearing a diadem.
Reverse
The reverse depicts an eagle standing on a thunderbolt, a common symbol of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
History & Notable Facts
The most striking thing about the Ptolemaic Tetradrachm is how it placed the ruler's portrait front and center, often with a cornucopia or eagle on the reverse, turning coinage into royal propaganda for the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.
These silver coins, typically weighing around 17 grams, were minted in Alexandria from about 305 BC until Cleopatra's death in 30 BC. They reflected the blend of Greek and Egyptian influences, with portraits of Ptolemies like I Soter or VI Philometor that aimed for realism, though minting quality varied wildly depending on the political turmoil of the era.
We don't know exact mintage figures; records from antiquity are scarce. What survives shows these tetradrachms circulated widely in the Mediterranean, sometimes overstamped for local use.
The myths about their mystical powers are tiresome—it's just metal, not a talisman.
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