Greece, Cyrenaica, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Berenice II, didrachma, ca. 260–240 BC, mint: Cyrene.
Obv. Bust of Berenice wearing a diadem and drapery, facing right.
Rev. Mace; in the left field, a monogram; in the right field, a trident—the whole surrounded by a wreath. BAΣIΛIΣΣHΣ - BEPENIKHΣ on both sides of the mace.
Silver, 7.13 g, 19/20 mm. SNG COP 429; Svoronos 318.
Condition III+, dark patina
A very well-struck coin, almost perfectly centric. A distinct portrait of Berenice in high relief on the obverse; the reverse is in excellent condition, with almost no signs of circulation, every minute detail perfectly legible.
An extremely interesting coin that has been debated by numismatists for years. Attributed to Berenice I (d. 279), wife of Ptolemy I, or to Berenice II (267–221), wife of Ptolemy III. It is very likely that Magas (308–253), king of Cyrenaica, who was at odds with his half-brother Ptolemy II for many years, was behind the issuance of these didrachms. The monogram appearing on the coin shown here is often read as MAG, which is thought to refer to Magas. Magas was the son of Berenice I and the father of Berenice II, who, as a young girl, was married off to Demetrius the Beautiful. This unpopular ruler was assassinated shortly thereafter, and Berenice took over the rule of Cyrenaica. Her second marriage to Ptolemy III in 246, however, resulted in the incorporation of Cyrenaica into Egyptian rule. The coin presented here likely dates from the final years of Magas’s life, or shortly thereafter, when Berenice II played a key role on the political stage and relations between Cyrenaica and Egypt were very good.
