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PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Kleopatra VII Thea Neotera, with Ptolemy XV Caesarion. 51-30 BC. Æ (29.5mm, 18.06 g, 12h). Paphos mint. Struck circa 47 BC. Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra, as Aphrodite, right; to right, small winged bust of Caesarion, as Eros, looking up at his mother; scepter to left / Double cornucopia bound with fillet; monogram to right. Svoronos 1874; Weiser –; SNG Copenhagen –; BMC 2; RPC I 3901. Rough dark brown surfaces, light patches of green encrustation, edge splits. VF. Very rare.
While ostensibly displaying Aphrodite holding Eros in her arms, this type was in fact a dynastic issue, following in the Ptolemaic tradition that rulers were represented in the guise of gods. Here, the identification of Kleopatra as Aphrodite is not controversial, as the two are often related in classical literature. The choice of this type is relative to its place of the issue, Cyprus, where an important temple to Aphodite was located at Paphos. In 48 BC, Julius Caesar gave Cyprus to Kleopatra, and the fact that Caesarion was his son by the Egyptian queen lends credence to the identification of Eros as Caesarion on this coin. Literary and epigraphic evidence clearly displays the intent of Kleopatra to elevate their son to the status of a co-ruler, and as such, his presence on the coin would be conventional. Nonetheless, other candidates have been suggested, such as either of her sons by Mark Antony, Alexander Helios or Ptolemy Philadelphos. As the coin has no indication of date, it could have been struck later, after Kleopatra gave birth to Antony's children. Two facts, though, suggest that this isolated issue would not favor either of these children over Caesarion. In 34 BC, when Antony was celebrating his Armenian 'victory' at Alexandreia, Caesarion was given a higher status in the event than Antony's sons. Also, numismatic evidence suggests that Caesarion retained his position as primary heir until Kleopatra's death (see O. Mørkholm, "Ptolemaic Coins and Chonology" in MN 20 [1975]). It seems appropriate that this exceptional issue would have been struck in commemoration of Caesarion's birth in 47 BC, on the island that had just been given to his mother, Kleopatra, by his father, Caesar.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 13 May at 9 AM ET.
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