Graeco-Roman Museum starts restoration of ancient coins
Egypt, History, 10/25/2001

The Restoration Department of Alexandria has started restoring 80 large bronze coins that date back to the early Ptolemaic Age since the reign of Ptolemy I to III.

The coins are part of the repertoire of Ptolemaic and Roman coins kept by the Graeco-Roman Museum at its storehouses.

The Museum had acquired the collection, which was unearthed in Nagaa Hamadi, Upper Egypt at the beginning of the 20th century from the Egyptian Museum in l942 .

The restoration comes within a study implemented by Dr Mervat Seif Eddin to prepare a catalogue for two collections with a total of 344 bronze coins.The first set comprises 264 pieces in good condition of which l6 belong to the Ptolemaic age.

One of the two sides of the coins bear god Zeus Amon and the other bears a picture of the double eagle.

These coins in particular were in use during the rule of Ptolemy VI who reigned supreme from l80 to l45 BC and shared the rule with his brother Ptolemy VIII from l70 to l64 BC.

According to Amira Abu Bakr, head of the Restoration Department, most of the coins pertain to the end of the Roman age.

The coins, she said, were coined in the famous places at the time, which reached about eleven mints in Alexandria, Rome, Cartage and others.

Abu Bakr commented that the coins are in very good condition which means that they have been used for a short while.

It is noteworthy that the Graeco-Roman Museum is the largest owner of such coins, its rooms and storehouses include thousands of coins that refer to Greek and Roman ages.

Previous Stories:
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