Two (and now Two more) new Roman Provincial coins from Alexandria

[DonnaML]

I bought these two Hadrian tetradrachms from Roman Alexandria at last week's CNG Auction, and they arrived today. There's no listed provenance, but I have little doubt, given the similarity in appearance and toning, that they come from the same source.  (I was unable to find either of them on RPC or ACSearch, but I have a feeling that they might have an interesting history if I were ever able to find it.)

The reason I'm highlighting these coins in a new thread is not that they're particularly uncommon, or that the subjects of their reverses are in any way unusual, but that I've rarely seen billon tetradrachms from Alexandria with both the legends and the portraits (particularly on the reverses) in such good condition. CNG categorized both of them as "VF," but if there were a separate, relative scale for the universe of Roman Alexandrian tetradrachms, I'd call them at least EF.  Needless to say, I sincerely hope that they haven't been smoothed or tooled!

[Note: there are so many minor variations in the specimens I've seen of both types (largely in the spacing of the reverse legends) that I've cited only the catalogs I've been able to consult personally. I have copies of all of the reference works I cite except for RPC III online and the 1901 edition of Dattari, which is also available online, together with the volume of plates, at archive.org.]

Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 10 (125/126 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right wearing paladumentum and aegis, seen from rear; around from 7:00, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ [translation: Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus] / Rev. Laureate and draped bust of Zeus right, wearing himation; around, L ΔΕΚΑΤΟΥ [Year 10, spelled out]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5598 (2015); RPC III Online 5598 at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5598; Emmett 903.10 (R2) [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 571 at p. 70 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)] [ill. RPC III Online 5598, Specimen 2 (primary illustration of type)] [same rev. leg.]; Milne 1100 at p. 28 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins in Ashmolean Museum (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)] [ill. RPC III Online 5598, Specimen 7] [same rev. leg.]; Curtis 555 at p. 22 [James W. Curtis, The Tetradrachms of Roman Egypt (1969)] [same rev. leg.]; K&G 32.362 [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)] [rev. leg. var.]; SNG France 4, Alexandrie II 1474 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France Vol. 4, Alexandrie II, Hadrien – Antonin le Pieux – Nomes (Zurich 2018)] [rev. leg. var.] 26 mm., 13.30 g., 11 h. Purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, LLC [CNG] Electronic Auction 524, 28 Sep 2022, Lot 388. [N.B.: 5 of the 7 illustrated examples at RPC show Zeus wearing a taenia instead of the laurel wreath depicted on my coin.]

Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 19 (134/135 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head left; around from 2:00, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ [translation: Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus] / Rev. Draped bust of Serapis right, crowned with modius adorned with leaves (appearing as dots), wearing taenia and himation; around, L ƐΝ – ΝƐΑΚ•Δ [Year 19, spelled out]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5943 (2015); RPC III Online 5943 at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5943; Emmett 889.19 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 610 at p. 73 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)] [ill. RPC III Online 5943, Specimen 3 (primary illustration of type)] [same rev. leg.]; Milne 1100 at p. 28 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins in Ashmolean Museum (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)] [ill. RPC III Online 5943, Specimen 27] [same rev. leg.]; K&G 32.362 [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)] [ill. p. 146, rev. leg. var.]; SNG France 4, Alexandrie II 1903 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France Vol. 4, Alexandrie II, Hadrien – Antonin le Pieux – Nomes (Zurich 2018)] [rev. leg. var.]; Dattari (1901 ed.) 1465 at p. 94 [ill. Pl. XXII; rev. leg. var.] [Dattari, Giovanni, Monete imperiali greche, Numi Augg. Alexandrini, Catalogo della collezione (Cairo 1901)]. 24.5 mm., 13.50 g., 12 h. Purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, LLC [CNG] Electronic Auction 524, 28 Sep 2022, Lot 390.

Please post any Roman Alexandrian coins, or other Roman Provincials, that you particularly like. 

Edited April 13, 2023 by DonnaML

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Those are delightful!  The 'big head' portraits of Hadrian are my favorite of that emperor, and the ones I tend to go after.

As my only photographed Alexandrian Tet is decrepit (sea find), I'll have to go with my favorite, the Alexandrian Drachm.

Bronze drachm, Dattari 1632, Geissen 1009, Choice VF, Alexandria mint, 26.146g, 35.2mm, 0o, 129 - 130 A.D.; obverse AVT KAI TPAINOC A∆PI[...], laureate and draped bust right; reverse Athena standing left, Nike in extended right, resting left on shield, date LI∆ across field;

I'd grade it a nice Fine. Ex: Forum.

[O-Towner]

For some odd reason I like the more unusual varieties:

Hadrian Ae Drachm (33.5mm, 24.3gms) : Ref: Emmett 1053

Obv: AVT KAI TPAIN(OC A∆PIANOC CEB); Laureate and draped bust right

Rev: Sphinx seated left, modius on head, with right forepaw resting on spoked wheel; L - IH across fields

[Ed Snible]

Perhaps if the emperor was visiting they used the good silver and didn't abuse the dies.

 

EGYPT, Faustina Junior (147-175 AD), dated Regnal Year 12 of Antoninus Pius (147/8 AD), billion tetradrachm 22mm 13.61g
Obv: ΦΑVС[ΤΙΝΑ] СƐΒΑСΤΗ; Faustina II
Rev: L ΔωΔƐΚΑΤΟV; Eusebeia seated left, holding patera over lit altar, holding long scepter
RPC vol 4 #13632 (temporary) (this coin pictured, ex Aiello)

I was never able to find a provenance for this coin other than the one in RPC, to the collector.  John Aiello's collection of Roman Egypt coins sold in Malloy Auction XIV. (1979,  "John Aiello Collection of Roman Egyptian Coins"). 788 coins of Roman Egypt!  There was a specimen of this type, but it wasn't this coin!  Perhaps there was another auction.

[Jeremy]

Beautiful coins! Artistic portraits, perfectly centered and sharp legends - they check all the boxes!

[Broucheion]

45 minutes ago, Ed Snible said:

I was never able to find a provenance for this coin other than the one in RPC, to the collector.  John Aiello's collection of Roman Egypt coins sold in Malloy Auction XIV. (1979,  "John Aiello Collection of Roman Egyptian Coins").

Hi @Ed Snible,

Your coin is #349 from that auction.
https://archive.org/details/auctionsalexivma00mall/page/n9/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/auctionsalexivma00mall/page/16/mode/2up

- Broucheion 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Broucheion
Added URL

[Leo]

Lovely coins! I want to assembly a 5 Good Emperors set in Alexandrian Tetradrachmae, it will take a while, but I believe they will look great together.
For now I only have one piece, an Antoninus Pius 🙂

[Al Kowsky]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

I bought these two Hadrian tetradrachms from Roman Alexandria at last week's CNG Auction, and they arrived today. There's no listed provenance, but I have little doubt, given the similarity in appearance and toning, that they come from the same source.  (I was unable to find either of them on RPC or ACSearch, but I have a feeling that they might have an interesting history if I were ever able to find it.)

The reason I'm highlighting these coins in a new thread is not that they're particularly uncommon, or that the subjects of their reverses are in any way unusual, but that I've rarely seen billon tetradrachms from Alexandria with both the legends and the portraits (particularly on the reverses) in such good condition. CNG categorized both of them as "VF," but if there were a separate, relative scale for the universe of Roman Alexandrian tetradrachms, I'd call them at least EF.  Needless to say, I sincerely hope that they haven't been smoothed or tooled!

[Note: there are so many minor variations in the specimens I've seen of both types (largely in the spacing of the reverse legends) that I've cited only the catalogs I've been able to consult personally. I have copies of all of the reference works I cite except for RPC III online and the 1901 edition of Dattari, which is also available online, together with the volume of plates, at archive.org.]

Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 10 (125/126 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right wearing paladumentum and aegis, seen from rear; around from 7:00, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ [translation: Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus] / Rev. Laureate and draped bust of Zeus right, wearing himation; around, L ΔΕΚΑΤΟΥ [Year 10, spelled out]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5598 (2015); RPC III Online 5598 at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5598; Emmett 903.10 (R2) [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 571 at p. 70 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)] [ill. RPC III Online 5598, Specimen 2 (primary illustration of type)] [same rev. leg.]; Milne 1100 at p. 28 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins in Ashmolean Museum (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)] [ill. RPC III Online 5598, Specimen 7] [same rev. leg.]; Curtis 555 at p. 22 [James W. Curtis, The Tetradrachms of Roman Egypt (1969)] [same rev. leg.]; K&G 32.362 [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)] [rev. leg. var.]; SNG France 4, Alexandrie II 1474 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France Vol. 4, Alexandrie II, Hadrien – Antonin le Pieux – Nomes (Zurich 2018)] [rev. leg. var.] 26 mm., 13.30 g., 11 h. Purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, LLC [CNG] Electronic Auction 524, 28 Sep 2022, Lot 388. [N.B.: 5 of the 7 illustrated examples at RPC show Zeus wearing a taenia instead of the laurel wreath depicted on my coin.]

Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 19 (134/135 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head left; around from 2:00, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ [translation: Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus] / Rev. Draped bust of Serapis right, crowned with modius adorned with leaves (appearing as dots), wearing taenia and himation; around, L ƐΝ – ΝƐΑΚ•Δ [Year 19, spelled out]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5943 (2015); RPC III Online 5943 at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5943; Emmett 889.19 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 610 at p. 73 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)] [ill. RPC III Online 5943, Specimen 3 (primary illustration of type)] [same rev. leg.]; Milne 1100 at p. 28 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins in Ashmolean Museum (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)] [ill. RPC III Online 5943, Specimen 27] [same rev. leg.]; K&G 32.362 [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)] [ill. p. 146, rev. leg. var.]; SNG France 4, Alexandrie II 1903 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France Vol. 4, Alexandrie II, Hadrien – Antonin le Pieux – Nomes (Zurich 2018)] [rev. leg. var.]; Dattari (1901 ed.) 1465 at p. 94 [ill. Pl. XXII; rev. leg. var.] [Dattari, Giovanni, Monete imperiali greche, Numi Augg. Alexandrini, Catalogo della collezione (Cairo 1901)]. 24.5 mm., 13.50 g., 12 h. Purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, LLC [CNG] Electronic Auction 524, 28 Sep 2022, Lot 390.

Please post any Roman Alexandrian coins, or other Roman Provincials, that you particularly like. 

Excellent score on both coins ☺️! The surfaces on both coins look natural to me for what that is worth, & your 1st coin looks like a condition match to one in my collection. My coin was pictured in David Vagi's book Coinage and History of the Roman Empire, pictured below. Pictured below that coin is another favorite in my collection.

[Ed Snible]

1 hour ago, Broucheion said:

Hi @Ed Snible,

Your coin is #349 from that auction.
https://archive.org/details/auctionsalexivma00mall/page/n9/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/auctionsalexivma00mall/page/16/mode/2up

- Broucheion 

Thanks for trying.  Maybe the editors of RPC are merely saying Aiello had one of these?  Mine isn't his.

I bought this coin from a local coin shop, mislabeled, no old ticket, and was very surprised to find it as an alternate in RPC!

Edited October 8, 2022 by Ed Snible

[Broucheion]

Hi @Ed Snible,

I stand corrected.

- Broucheion 

[Edessa]

Donna, those are uncommonly nice examples! I was bidding against you, but I am glad to see that you won these lots.

Roman Egypt, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Billon Tetradrachm (23mm, 12.77g, 12h). Dated RY 5 (AD 141/142). Obv: ANTωNINOC CЄB ЄVCЄB; Laureate head right. Rev: Artemis standing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow; L Є (date) across lower field. Ref: Köln 1362; Dattari (Savio) 2150; K&G 35.117; Emmett 1362.5. Very Fine, toned. Nice metal and surfaces. From the Stein A. Evensen Collection, purchased from Pavlos S. Pavlou on VCoins, April 2010. Ex CNG e477 (23 Sept 2020), Lot 331.

[Marsyas Mike]

Those are lovely, @DonnaML  I too have a Hadrian from Egypt with Serapis...let me know if you want to work out a trade 😇

Hadrian Æ Drachm Year 3 (LΓ) (118/119 A.D.) Alexandria Mint [ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙ]ΑΝΟϹ [ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ], laureate head right, drapery on shoulder / Temple with two columns, Sarapis within standing facing, resting hand on shrine, holding sceptre, [L]- Γ (?) (15.20 grams / 30 mm) eBay Sep. 2021 $4.75 BIN  Attribution Note: Obverse legend [ΤΡΑΙ]ΑΝΟϹ is found on early issues only.  Reverse letter in right field has straight back, probably Γ RPC III, 5170; Geissen 777; BMC Greek (Alexandria) 2909. Serapis in "classical" temple type seems to be scarce; only one in acsearch, though RPC refs. 11 museum specimens.  

So that's was $4.75 on eBay will get you sometimes... An even better "deal" from my local dealer's junk box for $2, a tetradrachm...or an imitation of one.  As @Ed Snible suggests, perhaps the good metal came out for Imperial Visits - this was an off year in Alexandria, obviously:

Hadrian  Billon Tetradrachm (Year 10 / 125-126 A.D.) Alexandria Mint AYT KAI TPAI AΔPIA CEB, laureate,draped and cuirassed bust right / LΔE-KATOY, bust of Selene right, crowned with crescent on taenia, RCV (2002) 3728; Dattari 1482; Milne 1109; Geissen 916 (9.50 grams / 24 mm) A-Z Sept. 16, 2019 Attribution Note: RPC III, 5595 tetradrachm:  Average diameter 24 mm' Average weight 8.98 g; Specimens 14 https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5595 9/17/2019  Provenance Note: Cardboard flip stated "Found in Egypt 1972"  

From the same junk box came this mystery Egyptian coin of Hadrian (or a fake).  It came with the same "found in Egypt 1972" quasi-provenance.  The size never aligned up with any denomination I could find:

Hadrian       Æ Hemidrachm? (Year 14 / 129-130 A.D.) Alexandria Mint AYT KAI TPAI AΔPIA CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / LI - Δ Isis Pharia standing right, holding sistrum and billowing sail. RPC III 5748; Dattari 1753 (?). (Lightweight forgery or Diobol?) (7.79 grams / 27 mm) Attribution Note: Weight is light for hemidrachms of this era, but about right for a diobol.  No diobols of this type are listed for Hadrian.  Provenance Note:  Flip stated "Found in Egypt 1972"  

This is off-topic since it is an imperial, but it just came in the mail a couple days ago and I am excited about it - an Imperial as featuring a personification of the Nile.  These appear to be rather scarce, at least I couldn't find many online.  I haven't fully attributed it yet, but I think it is RIC 1714 (2nd Ed.) (old RIC II 868).  My first Nile and my first hippopotamus (barely - he's crawling up Nilus's lap like a house cat).  

Mine appears to be a die match to one sold by CNG (obverse for sure, probably, probably not the reverse):  

https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=130874

 

 

[shanxi]

Nice Tets !!!

 

Here are a few more:

Hadrian
Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Obv.: AVT KAI TPAI AΔPIA CEB, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r., seen from behind
Rev.: Hadrian standing leftz, holding sceptre and clasping hands with Alexandria holding vexillum, L - IE (year 15=130/131)
Billon, 13.22g, 23.5mm
Geißen 1026 ff., Dattari 1267 ff.

 

Hadrian
Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
Obv.: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙC ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ΣΕΒ, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
Rev.: L IZ, Nilus reclining left, holding reed in right hand, cornucopia in left; crocodile below
Billon, 13.12g, 24.9x23mm
Ref.: Dattari 1434 var. Milne 1351.

 

Hadrian
Egypt, Alexandria, Year 11
Billon Tetradrachm
Obv: AVT KAI TPAI AΔPIA CEB, laureate, draped bust right.
Rev: L ENΔ-E-KA-TOV, eagle standing right, head left, on thunderbolt with wings spread.
Ref.: Emmett 836; Dattari 1573

[Spaniard]

@DonnaML...Lovely couple of additions to your impressive and well researched collection Donna. I really like the slate grey toning with its silver highspots, makes the detail jump out!...

Out of the 4 portraits, although all are nice, I love the leftie of Hadrian with that great little moustache but my favourite is that wonderfully expressive portrait of Zeus!

Here's a couple of my favourites..

Antoninus Pius, 138 - 161 AD, AE Drachm, Egypt, Alexandria Mint, 34mm, 29.55 grams
Obverse: Laureate head of Antoninus right.
Reverse: L DEKATOV, Zeus holding patera and scetpre reclining left on open wings of eagle.
Emmett1699 // Dattari2933 // Koln1560 // Milne1905

Antoninus Pius, 138 - 161 AD
Billon Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Mint, 23mm, 11.94 grams
Obverse: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Antoninus right.
Reverse: Nilus reclining left holding reed and cornucopia from which emerges Nilus, crocodile below.
Emmerr 1413.13 // Dattari 2294 // Koln 1594 // K&G 35.426

[Steve]

Gorgeous Hadrian additions, Donna ... those are both beauties!! (congrats)

Hmmm, I didn't have any "AE" Tets, but I did have this cool AR Tetradrachm ... man, I loved this sweet coin

 

 

Oh, but I did have a couple of cool AE Alexandrian Hadrian examples (wanna see 'em?)

 

AE Drachm (below)

 

AE Obol (below)

 

Hi

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Steve

[Restitutor]

2 minutes ago, Steve said:

Gorgeous Hadrian additions, Donna ... those are both beauties!! (congrats)

Hmmm, I didn't have any "AE" Tets, but I did have this cool AR Tetradrachm ... man, I loved this sweet coin

 

 

Oh, but I did have a couple of cool AE Alexandrian Hadrian examples (wanna see 'em?)

 

 

 

Hi

 

That cobra is 🔥

[kapphnwn]

Antoninus Pius Ae Diobol  Alexandria 144-145 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Agathodaemon standing erect right RPC IV on line 14856/20 This coin illustrated. 10.16 grms 24 mm Photo by W. Hansen

I believe there was another thread on something like a coin that was bought in error. This is one of mine. I had forgotten about it but when posting it here I suddenly remembered. When I bought the  coin I thought it was a Ae drachm and was bidding accordingly. I thought I had got the coin for a really good price until I realized my error. Oooops Oh well I am certain it wasn't my first mistake and it won't be my last. 

[Justin Lee]

Those are magnificent examples with truly wonderful legends! Mine from that earlier, high silver content era are far from as elegant as yours.

[happy_collector]

Nice additions, @DonnaML. Great portraits on both coins. 🙂

Here are 2 of my Alexandrian coins. 

Hadrian, BI-Tetradrachm 125/126 AD (= year 10).
24mm, 13.23g, 11h
Obv: armored and draped bust with laurel wreath r.,
Rev:  Agathodaemon wearing skhent, facing Uraeus, wearing horns and disc, with a sistrum; L ∆ EK ATOV (date) 
24mm, 13.23g, 11h
Dattari/Savio 7508; Geissen 894 var.;RPC III 5596. 

 

Nero. BI tetradrachm.  64-65 AD (year 11)
Obv: Radiate bust of Nero right, wearing aegis
Rev: Draped bust of Poppaea right; L IA (date) before
13.51 g, 24 mm
Köln 168; Emmett 128; RPC I 5280

Edited October 8, 2022 by happy_collector

[DonnaML]

5 hours ago, Spaniard said:

@DonnaML...Lovely couple of additions to your impressive and well researched collection Donna. I really like the slate grey toning with its silver highspots, makes the detail jump out!...

Out of the 4 portraits, although all are nice, I love the leftie of Hadrian with that great little moustache but my favourite is that wonderfully expressive portrait of Zeus!

 

Thank you, @Spaniard. I think I might agree that out of the four portraits, although I obviously like all of them, the one of Zeus might be my favorite. Perhaps in part because portraits of Zeus himself (as opposed to Zeus Ammon) aren't really that common on the Roman Alexandrian tetradrachms one sees for sale?

I now have a total of 32 Roman Alexandrian coins of tetradrachm size or smaller (i.e., including a few diobols and obols) together in one tray, plus four drachms in another tray. (As compared to only 30 Roman Provincials from all the other provinces besides Egypt.) I've previously posted a photo of the four Alexandrian drachms together in their tray, but when I have time I will try to take a couple of decent photos of my 32 other Roman Alexandrian coins together (one for each side) and post them here.

Edited October 8, 2022 by DonnaML

[Roman Collector]

Amazingly well preserved specimens  @DonnaML! Coingratulations!

Here's a Hadrian tetradrachm with a Clain-Stefanelli provenance.


Hadrian, AD 117-138.
Roman provincial billon tetradrachm, 12.76 g, 24.8 mm, 11 h.
Egypt, Alexandria, year 21=AD 136/7.
Obv: ΑVΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹЄΒ; laureate head of Hadrian, right, drapery on l. shoulder.
Rev: L ΚΑ; Demeter standing facing, head l., wearing crescent, holding ears of corn and torch.
Refs: RPC III, 6131; BMC 16.71,579; Köln 1209; Dattari 1335; Milne 1519; Emmett 832.
Note: Ex-Clain-Stefanelli.

[Prieure de Sion]

On 10/7/2022 at 11:49 PM, DonnaML said:

 

I bought these two Hadrian tetradrachms from Roman Alexandria at last week's CNG Auction, and they arrived today.

 

Great buy Donna! Gratulation… ! 😍

[idesofmarch01]

Wow!  These are two extraordinarily impressive coins!  

The high quality artistry of the portraits is especially reminiscent of Hadrian's best imperial portraits and something I would not have expected in a provincial coin.  Just as an example, I created a side-by-side image of my Aegyptos sestertius with the first (Year 10) coin:

Congratulations on your acquisitions!

[DonnaML]

I was thinking of picking out some other favorites of mine among my Roman Alexandrian coins, but decided instead to post these two photos of my tray of Roman Alexandrian tetradrachms, diobols, and obols (including the two new tets), together with the one unpublished tessera. There's a bluish tone to the coins in these photos that isn't there in reality -- it seems to happen quite a bit with my cellphone camera -- but my skills are not equal to adjusting for it. Still it gives an idea of what they all look like. With very few exceptions, of course, the reverses are considerably more interesting than the obverses. 

And here are all four of my Roman Alexandrian drachmae in their own tray.

Out of 36 coins, 15 are from Hadrian's reign (including the one portraying Sabina), and six are from Antoninus Pius. Nothing intentional; it's just worked out that way.

Edited October 9, 2022 by DonnaML

[Spaniard]

@DonnaML....Wow! Lovely collection.

I do like how the compartments in the trays fit the majority of the Tets, nicely framing them..