CVC & Collectables presents a Roman Imperatorial AR tetradrachm of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony, struck 36–33 BC at an uncertain eastern mint (possibly Antioch), certified NGC Good. Greek legends name Basilissa Cleopatra Thea Neotera and Antonios Autokrator, Triumvir; a horse’s head control appears behind Antony.
Coin Highlights:
- Maker: Roman Imperatorial — uncertain eastern mint (possibly Antioch)
- Date: 36–33 BC
- Catalog: Prieur 28
- Metal/Denomination: AR Tetradrachm (silver)
- Grade: NGC Good (G)
- Diameter/Edge: — (per slab)
- Obverse: BACIΛICCA KΛEOΠATΡA ΘEA NEΩTEΡA — diademed, draped bust of Cleopatra VII right, wearing a pearl necklace
- Reverse: ANTΩNIOC AYTOKΡATΩΡ TΡITON TΡIΩN ANΔΡΩN — bare head of Mark Antony right; horse’s head right behind
- Type: Imperatorial portrait tetradrachm; Eastern issue during Antony’s command
Ruler/Empress History:
Cleopatra VII Philopator (Queen of Egypt, 51–30 BC)
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Accession & Role: Last Ptolemaic monarch; allied with Julius Caesar, later Mark Antony.
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Key Events: Eastern statecraft and naval buildup; opposition to Octavian; defeat at Actium (31 BC).
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Coinage & Propaganda: Greek legends styling her “Basilissa… Thea Neotera” emphasized divine kingship and Hellenistic legitimacy.
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Legacy: Death in 30 BC; Egypt annexed by Rome under Octavian (Augustus).
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Mark Antony (Triumvir, 43–33 BC)
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Accession & Role: Caesar’s lieutenant; power-sharing in the Second Triumvirate.
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Key Events: Control of the East; alliance with Cleopatra; civil war with Octavian culminating at Actium.
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Coinage & Propaganda: Eastern silver (including these tetradrachms) promoted command titles and military readiness.
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Legacy: Defeat and suicide in 30 BC; coinage remains foundational for late-Republic collections.
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Collectibility:
An essential Imperatorial portrait coin uniting antiquity’s most famous pair. Readable legends and the distinctive horse’s head control make this NGC Good example a compelling centerpiece for Roman Civil Wars and Actium-era trays.
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