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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.
Lot # 381 - Egypt. Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD. Drachm (Bronze, 34.65 mm, 24.25 g). Dated L S = year 6 (143 /144 AD) ΑΥΤ K T AIΛ AΔP ANTⲰNINOC CEB EYC Laureate head of Antoninus Pius right. Rev. Anepigraph. Naked and hairless Heracles is holding, by the horns with his hands, the Cerynean doe, bent to the ground. He puts pressure on her rump with his left knee to immobilize her; behind him, leaning on the left, the club and the leontea; in front on the right is the concise image of trees in a forest. Upwards in the field, the date, L S = year 6. Vogt I, p.123. Vogt II -. Dattari-Savio 8492, this specimen. RPC IV. 4. 624 (this specimen illustrated). Emmett 1547. Cf. Staffieri, G.M., Alexandria in Nummis, pp. 301-302, Muzzano 2018. Very Fine with fascinating brown patina. Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection 8492, Il Cairo. Ex Dott. Piero Beretta Collection, Milan. Ex Renzo Canavesi Collection, Sagno (TI, CH). This drachm belong to the lucky and famous series of the legendary "The labours of Hercules" or Dodekatlon, all depicted on the reverses of Alexandria drachms by Antoninus Pius, issued between the fourth (140-141 AD) and the tenth (146-147 AD) year of his reign, during one of the artistically happiest periods of the mint of Alexandria. Our drachm is absolutedly rare (grade 5 according to Emmett) and also the best specimen of the five known (see RPC IV. 4) and depicts on the reverse the third labour of Hercules, let us say, the capture of the Cerinea doe, which had bronze legs, gold horns; it was sacred to Artemis (Diana) and roamed unreachable over the crags and woods of Mount Cerinea, but the hero managed to trap her. Heracles stands out magnificently and sculpturally in his plastic, dynamic nudity as he immobilises the graceful doe who reluctantly bends to his will.
Lot # 383 - Egypt. Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, 138-161. Drachm (Bronze, 34.17 mm, 25.73 g). Dated RY 5 (= 141/2). [ΑVΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ] ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤѠΝ[ΙΝΟС] [СƐΒ ƐVС] Laureate bust right. Rev. The Judgement of Paris: on rocks from left to right, Aphrodite standing left; Hera seated left, holding long sceptre; Athena standing left, holding sceptre; in front of them, Hermes holding caduceus and explaining to Paris the task; at the foot of the rock, the herd of Paris; [L Ɛ] (date) in left field. Dattari-Savio 8848. RPC IV.4, 523.7 (this coin). Berlin 1030/1892 = ZfN 21 (1898), 234–5 (pl. VI, 10) = SAN 6, 3 (1975), 40. Emmett 1633 var. (Hera standing). Near Very Fine/Good Fine. Extremely Rare. Ex Roma Numismatics 43, 03 February 2018, lot 381. This extraordinary drachm is one of the rarest and most sought-after coins of the Alexandrian series, minted in the Antoninian golden age of the great master engravers of the mints of Alexandria in Egypt. Of the mythological "judgment of Paris" of typical classical Greek origin, there are two main versions of the transposition on the reverses of the Alexandrian drachms, with variations in the position of the characters: a very scarce one with the images of Hera standing together with Aphrodite and Athena (Cf. Staffieri G.M., Alexandria in Nummis, nr. 139, pp. 277-278, Muzzano , 2017) and the other, which is practically impossible to find, with Hera seated on a throne with a long scepter, between Aphrodite and Athena, is represented by this specimen. In fact, only the following documented six specimens of this version are known to date: - Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum (cf. Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologisches Institut 3, 1888, p. 203, n. 5. - Berlin Museum (cf. ZfN, XXI, 1898, pp. 234-235, Pl. XI, 10). - Auction Münzhandlung Basel 6, 18.03.1936, lot 661 + ill.). - Baldwin Auctions Ltd, London - Münzen und Medaillen Numismatics Ltd, Washington - Italo vecchi Ltd, London : The new York Sale Auction 1, 03.12.1998, lot 175 (Ex Jungfleisch Collection n. 108). - CNG 30, 11.06.1994, lot 487. -this specimen, ex Roma Numismatics 43, 03.02.2018, lot 381. Bibliography: Carlson W. A., Judgment of Paris Drachmae, Additions and Connections, in "Journal of the Society for Ancient Numismatics" (SAN), Vol. VI, Nr. 3, Spring 1975, pp. 40-42. "The story of the judgement of Paris begins at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis (the parents of Achilles) to which every god or goddess was invited except Eris, the goddess of discord. In her anger she threw an apple into the gathering upon which it was written 'To The Fairest'. Three goddesses laid claim to the apple, Athena, Hera and Aphrodite, and it was decided that Zeus would choose the winner. Rather than facing the anger of the two not chosen, Zeus instructed Hermes to lead the goddesses to Paris, a prince of Troy who was known for his fairness. Each goddess offered Paris a bribe: Aphrodite promised the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, as a wife (despite her being married already to the Greek Menelaus); Athena offered strength in battle and wisdom; and Hera offered to make him king of Europe and Asia. Paris chose Aphrodite's gift and thus made himself and Troy enemies of the Greeks and several gods (especially Hera). This animosity culminated in the Trojan War, a ten-year besiegement of Troy by the Greeks which is the central topic of Homer's Iliad."
Lot # 402 - Egypt, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, 138-161. Drachm (Bronze, 31.49 mm, 15.44 g). Dated RY 24 (= 160/61). [TI AI A∆PIA ANTωNINOC C ЄB EV] Laureate and draped bust right. Rev. Perseus and Andromeda: Perseus advancing right, wearing Phrygian cap and chlamys, holding a harpa with his left hand over his left shoulder, extending his right hand to Andromeda; Andromeda is stepping down from a rock base, wearing chiton, and extending her right hand to Perseus, her left hand is held to her breast; between them, L / K / ∆ (date) across upper field. Geissen 1856. Dattari-Savio 2994 & 8840 (this coin). RPC IV.4, 2189.20 (this coin cited). Emmett 1637. Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis, 134. Brown patina. Fine. Very rare. Emmett lists the type for the years of reign 20 and 24 of Pius, but his reference for RY 20 is Dattari 2990, but in the Dattari-Savio plates the ∆ (K∆ = 24) is visible, hence this is a one-year type only. Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection, 2994. Ex Naville Numismatics Ltd. 45, 09.12. 2018, lot 315. On the reverse of this drachm we admire a fitting numismatic interpretation of another famous myth of Greco-Roman theology: that of the freeing of Andromeda by the hero Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae, in an eminent specimen already in the Dattari collection. According to legend, the young Andromeda was chained to a cliff above the sea at the mercy of a sea monster that was supposed to devour her. Perseus decided to free her. He killed the monster and helped her to leave the place of her agony, which is the scene engraved on the coin, at last making her his bride. Cf. also Staffieri G. M., Alexandria in Nummis, nr. 134, pp. 267-268.