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Lot # 321 - Egypt. Alexandria. Trajan, 98-117. Drachm (Bronze, 33.26 mm, 21.76 g). Dated RY 19 (= 115/6). [ΑΥΤ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ Ϲ]ΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ [ΔΑΚΙΚ] Laureate head to right, aegis over far shoulder. Rev. Distyle Greco-Egyptian temple enclosing a cart with a barge, upon which rests a square shrine, surmounted by hawks, enclosing uncertain objects; [L]-IΘ (date) across fields. RPC III, 4951 note (RY 20) var. (wreathed with corn ears) and 4632 (RY 15). cf. Dattari-Savio 1159 (date recorded by Dattari as [L]-IΘ but unclear) and 7278. Emmett 426. Fine. Extremely Rare. Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection 1159. Ex Naville Numismatics Ltd. 47, 03.03.2019, lot 274. For the discussion of the potential dating of this issue, cf. RPC III 4632 note. G.M. Staffieri and M. Tosi, ‘La barca sacra di Osiri nella monetazione alessandrina’, in (eds.). D. Gerin and others, Aegyptiaca Serta in Soheir Bakhoum Memoriam (Edizioni Ennerre, Milan, 2008), pp. 229-35. The following article outlines how the design recurs in years 19 and 20, but see below. The design recurs on rare coins of Marcus Aurelius, year 16 (see RPC IV online, citing NY 1944.100.611341 and Münzhandlung Basel 6 (1936) lot 970; see also D3357-8, A Dem 2084). The object in the shrine on the coins of Trajan does not look like a mummy of Osiris (as on the coins of Aurelius), and is perhaps a representation of its external decoration (see e.g. the barge depicted by Staffieri and Tosi on their p. 235). A specimen was also described by D for year 19 (D1159: ‘[L I]Θ’), but the date is not clear on the rubbing in DS (and the obv. illegible), and it is probably safer to regard it as probably another coin of year 15. O815 is the same design, of year 20 (or possibly 19?).
Lot # 329 - Egypt. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138 AD. Tetradrachm (Billon, 23.41 mm, 13.22 g). Dated Λ ΔEKATOY = year 10 (125 / 126 AD) ΑΥΤ KAI TPAIA AΔPIA CEB Laureate, cuirassed and draped bust of Hadrian right, seen sideways from the back. Rev. L ΔE KATOY ( = year 120) The snakes Agathodaemons with “pshent” crown (left) and Uraeus with “basileon” or Isiac crown (right), both on the exergual line, erect and facing; in the folds of their tails, the first holds a caduceus (symbol of Hermanubis) and the second a sistrum (the emblem of Isis). Vogt I, p. 101. Vogt II, p. 48. BMC 668. Geissen 894-895. Dattari-Savio 7508 (same die). RPC III 5596.45, this specimen. Emmett 804. Staffieri, G. M., Alexandria in Nummis, pp.121-122 and 342-343, Muzzano 2017. Cf. Savio, Tetradrammi alessandrini, pp 77-81. Extremely Fine with high definition of details. Ex Numismatica Aretusa SA, (Franco Chiesa)1981. Tetradrachm minted with this reverse only in the tenth year of Hadrian's reign. The imperial portrait is of high artistic quality and certifies the serene majesty of the sovereign. The reverse refers to the Egyptian mythology of the facing pair of snakes: on the left the peaceful male Agazhodaermon sacred to Zeus-Sarapis and on the right the combative Pharaonic female Uraeus sacred to Isis which, together, indicate well-being and political stability, as well as fertility. In this rare example reported only by Dattari-Savio, the tails of the two snakes extend beyond the exergual line, accentuating the perspective and three-dimensionality of the scene.
Lot # 342 - Egypt. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138 AD. Drachm (Bronze, 34.51 mm, 28.44 g). Dated L I H = year 18 (133 /134 AD) ΑΥΤ KAIC TPAIANOC AΔPIANOC CEB Laureate, cuirassed and draped bust of Hadrian right, seen sideways from the back. Rev. Anepigraph. Isis Pharia is walking right towards the Lighthouse of Alexandria holding with hands and left foot three flaps of the unfolded sail. She is wearing chiton, peplos and basileon on her head while holding sistrum in her right hand and globus in her left. To right the rectangular towered shaped lighthouse with below the entrance portal and along the walls the round windows; at the corners of the upper terrace the statues of tritons playing buccina. On top of the lantern, the statue of Helios-Sarapis, deity of the light. In the field LIH = year 18. Vogt I, p. 105. Vogt II, p. 55. BMC 757 var. (without sistrum). Dattari 1767 p. 85 (same die). RPC III 5895.50 this specimen. Emmett 1002. Milne 1414. Staffieri, G. M., Alexandria in Nummis, pp. 149-150, Muzzano 2017. Extremely Fine for the type of the coin with brilliant green and brown patina. Ex B.A.Seaby Ltd. price list IX/88. This drachm is particularly valuable for its reverse where together with the mythical Isis Pharia the lighthouse of Alexandria is realistically reproduced, one of the famous Seven Wonders of the ancient world, now disappeared. His image was always taken in rare series also by some other Roman emperors and constitutes the only testimony of this extraordinary monument whose destruction and demolition contributed both nature with its earthquakes of 1303 and 1323 as well as the Arabs who conquered Egypt and built the fortress Qaitbey in its place. A clarification regarding the statue that dominates from the top of the lantern of the lighthouse: it is Helios-Sarapis greek-egyptian deity of light and not Poseidon god of the sea or Zeus or anything else.
Lot # 355 - Egypt. Alexandria. Antinous, favorite of Hadrian, died 130. Drachm (Bronze, 34.5 mm, 24.63 g). Dated RY 21 of Hadrian (= 136/7). [ΑΝΤΙΝΟΟΥ] ΗΡΩΟC Bare-headed and draped bust of Antinous wearing hemhem crown left. Rev. Antinous, holding caduceus, on horse right; L/KA (date) in field. Geissen 1281-2. Dattari 8013, p. 104 (this coin). Blum 22. RPC III, 6228/14 (this coin). Emmett 1346. Very nice portrait. Pierced twice, otherwise, nearly Very Fine. Very Rare. Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection 8013, Il Cairo. Ex Dr. Piero Beretta Collection, Milano, April 1972. This is one of the rare Alexandrian drachms of the best late Hellenistic style appropriately chosen by Giovanni Dattari for his famous anthological collection. It is undoubtedly one of the absolute masterpieces of the master engravers of the Alexandrian mint and worthily celebrates the tragic figure of the young bithinian man who was Hadrian's favourite from 123 A.D. and accompanied him on all his travels in the provinces of the empire, until he perished by drowning in the Nile in an accident that has never been clarified, during the emperor's visit to Egypt with his court. His death took a heavy toll on Hadrian's spirits and body, but he reacted by publicly honouring him with heroic and then divine honours, linking his death to the sacrifice of Osiris, founding the city of Antinopolis-Antinous at the site of his death, instituting the cult of Antinous with respective temples and priestly colleges, having countless statues of him sculpted, scattered and found especially in the eastern part of the empire, and finally having coins minted with his portrait by almost thirty provincial mints, first among all, Alexandria of Egypt. The reference texts of Alexandrian issues are those of Gustave Blum (Numismatique d'Antinoos, in "Journal International d'Archéologie Numismatique", tome seizième, pp. 33-70 + tavv. I-V, Athens 1914) and of Rainer Pudill (Antinoos: Münzen und Medallions, D-Regenstauf, 2014). For comparisons, see Staffieri, G. M. , Alexandria in Nummis, Nr. 95-100, pp. 192-201, Muzzano 2017.
Lot # 365 - Egypt. Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, 138-161. Tetradrachm (Billon, 24.12 mm, 12.81 g). Dated RY 8 (= 144/5). ΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟϹ ϹΕΒ ΕΥϹΕΒ Laureate head right. Rev. Apollo Didymeus standing, facing, holding stag and bow; in front, Egyptian altar and in field, L-H across field. RPC IV. 4, 727/9 (this coin). Dattari-Savio 2137 (this coin) & pl. IX (this rev. Illustrated). Geissen 1457 (altar in left field). Emmett 1358. Cf. Savio A., Tetradrammi alessandrini, pp.82-86. Minor porosity. Good Very Fine. Rare. Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection 2137, Il Cairo. Ex Naville Numismatics Ltd. 44, 04.11.2018, Lot 300. This coin evidences as, the cult of Apollo Didymeus at Miletos, achieved a high level of fame throughout the ancient world, including Egypt. The reverse of this interesting tetradracm, ex Dattari Collection, shows us a divinity extraneous to the Egyptian and Greco-Egyptian cult: it is the statuary figure of Apollo in the Didymeion of Miletus, famous ionic Sanctuaray-temple which competed with the seven wonders of the ancient world. Scholars agree on the hypothesis that the one depicted on this coin, as well as on the others in mixture or bronze of the years 7 to 11 of Antoninus Pius, is a faithful reproduction of the original statue of the temple (cfr. Vogt, J. I, p. 121. One could also think, with regard to the motif of this image on Alexandrian coins, of a semi-explicit, but nevertheless indicative form of alliance (OMONOIA) between the cities of Didyma and Alexandria.