Coins of Alexandria (there are many to choose from)

[Sulla80]

There are quite a few cities names Alexandria - the best known perhaps Alexandria in Egypt.  My coin today from a less know Alexandria ad Issum that didn't issue many coins and has a founding legend connected to the Battle of Issos between Darius III and Alexander the Great.

There are more than a few cities that bear Alexander the Great's name (Iskandar is Persian for Alexander).

    Ai-Khanoum(Alexandria on the Oxus), Afghanistan
    Alexandria Arachosia, Afghanistan; now called Kandahar (a contraction of Iskandahar)
    Alexandria Ariana, Afghanistan
    Alexandria Bucephalous, Pakistan, on the Jhelum River (formerly Hydaspes)
    Alexandria in Orietai, Balochistan, Pakistan
    Alexandria Carmania, unknown site in Kerman Province, Iran
    Alexandria Eschate, "the Farthest", Tajikistan
    Alexandria on the Caucasus, Afghanistan
    Alexandria on the Indus, Pakistan
    Alexandria Troas, Turkey
    Alinda, Alexandria by the Latmos, Turkey
    Cebrene, formerly Alexandria, Turkey
    Charax Spasinu, Alexandria in Susiana, Iraq
    Ghazni, Alexandria in Opiania, Afghanistan
    Iskandariya, Alexandria, Iraq
    Iskenderun, Alexandria ad Issum, Turkey
    Merv, Turkmenistan, sometimes also called Alexandria in Margiana
    Alexandropolis Maedica, founded by Alexander the Great in 340 BC

Alexandria ad Issum, Cilicia, AE (20mm, 6.64g), circa 164-27 BC
Obv: Head of Alexander - Herakles right, wearing lion's skin.
Rev: AΛЄΞANΔPЄΩN, Zeus (or Alexander or Hero?) standing left, raising right arm, holding a wreath; to left, AP monogram.
Ref: SNG BN 2407; SNG Levante 1834.

There is even a link between Lucius Cornelius Sulla and this coin. For more on this coin and the Battle of Issos...see Alexandria ad Issum, https://www.sullacoins.com/post/alexandria-ad-issum

Post your coins from Alexandria (any Alexandria) or anything else that you find interesting or entertaining.

[Ryro]

Cool coin from a very popular places!

I only have coins from the one. 

Here's my latest, that I've not shared yet, with special guest star, Cerberus!

Egypt, Alexandria AE Drachm (Bronze, 23.98g, 33mm) Antoninus Pius (138-161)Alexandria RY 12 = 148/9 AD.

Obv: AVT K • T AIΛ A∆P •ΑΝΤѠΝΙΝΟC ЄVCЄB •, Laureate head of Antoninus Pius to right.
Rev: L / ΔѠΔЄΚΑΤO, Serapis seated left, pointing to Cerberus seated at feet and holding scepter, within distyle temple with large globe in pediment.
Reference: Dattari (Savio) 3058; RPC IV.4 Online temp. 13643

And here are a few earlier coins:

Ptolemy I Soter

305-282 BCE. Æ (15mm, 3.85 g, 12h). Tyre mint. Struck after 294 or 289/8 BC. Diademed head of Alexander the Great right wearing elephant skin headdress/ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings displayed.

Ptolemy III Euergetes

AE Obol. Alexandria Mint 246-222 BCE. Obverse: Deified head of Alexander the Great right, wearing elephant skin. Reverse: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head right, cornucopia over shoulder; E between legs. References: Svoronos 976; SNG Copenhagen 232. Size: 24mm, 10.36g. Numismatic Notes: Good VF grade and done in choice style!

Augustus

Ae Diobol,

24 MM 8.65 GR

AE Diobol Year 41 = 11/12 AD, Egypt, City of Alexandria. Head R. Rs. LMA in the oak wreath. L.

[kirispupis]

That's a nice rarity! I only have the two most common Alexandrias.

Troas, Alexandria Troas
281-261 BCE
AE 22mm 8.03g
Head of Apollo right
Horse feeding right, palm to right, grain ear in exergue "ΑΛΕΞΑΝ-ΔΡΕΩΝ"
Bellinger A28c

 

Ptolemy I
311-305 BCE
Alexandria
27.5 mm 14.6g 1h
Avers : Buste cornu et diadémé d'Alexandre le Grand sous les traits de Zeus-Ammon à droite, coiffé de la dépouille d'éléphant avec l'égide.
Revers : Athéna Promachos ou Alkidemos marchant à droite, brandissant une javeline de la main droite et tenant un bouclier de la gauche ; dans le champ à gauche, un casque corinthien, un monogramme et un aigle sur un foudre tourné à droite.
Sv.162 (37 ex) - Cop.29 - GC.7750 var. - BMC.- - MP.6
Ex Robert J. Myers Auction 12, lot 291 (December 4, 1975)

 

I also have this coin, which I've attributed to Alexandria Eschate without any real proof other than they are both Baktrian. I did this for modern-day political reasons, since my wife is from Khojand - which used to be Alexandria Eschate.

Baktria, Local issues
Circa 285/3-280/78 BCE
AR Obol 8.5mm, 0.55 g, 6h
Attic standard. Uncertain mint in the Oxus region. Head of Kybele or Tyche right, wearing mural crown /
Eagle standing left, head right, with wings spread; grape bunch to lower right.
Cf. SMAK p. 70 and pl. 30 (for rev.); Bopearachchi, Sophytes –; SNG ANS –; HGC 12, –

 

And, if you're not willing to accept the coin attribution, here's a photo I took from Khojand/Alexandria Eschate. My wife is in white on the left.

[CPK]

Here is one from Alexandria, Egypt. A huge chunk of bronze! Also, a scarcer type from what I've been able to find online.

 

And another Egyptian one, with an Egyptian animal theme:

 

And a collection favorite from Alexandria Troas:

 

 

[Sulla80]

On 10/23/2023 at 8:00 PM, Ryro said:

Cool coin from a very popular places!

Love it, @Ryro, Congrats on the newest Alexandrian Drachm as well!

On 10/23/2023 at 8:04 PM, kirispupis said:

And, if you're not willing to accept the coin attribution, here's a photo I took from Khojand/Alexandria Eschate. My wife is in white on the left.

I'll choose to tread carefully and not comment on sources of evidence 🙂but I did enjoy both the coins and the photo from Alexandria Eschate.  This town caught my attention on the list - I like "Furthest Alexandria" as a place name that preserves a Macedonian point of view.

On 10/23/2023 at 8:22 PM, CPK said:

And another Egyptian one, with an Egyptian animal theme:

Great coins @CPK - I especially like the Claudian hippo.

I have an Alexandria Troas, and the only other Alexandria that I could try to claim is this one. When Alexander the Great conquered the city, in 329 BC, it became Alexandria in Opiana, and after his death it became part of the Mauryan empire.  Although it may be the right location - the name Alexandria was long gone by the time this Ghurid coin was minted 15 centuries later.

This coin possibly from Merv, Margiana, or Alexandria Margiana, although could have been elsewhere and there was no Alexandria there at the time when this coin was minted.  The garbled Greek wording does derive from the widespread influence of Alexander and his successors.

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Sulla80

[Orange Julius]

Alexandrian Claudius II reverses:

[rvk]

On 10/23/2023 at 5:22 PM, CPK said:

And a collection favorite from Alexandria Troas:

Very nice coin, a variant you don't see very often.

Some Obol's:

 

Domitian. 77-79 AD. Æ Obol (4.13g, 18.7mm). Alexandria mint. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ, LϚ; Laureate head of Domitian, right / Griffin seated, right, with wheel. RPC II 2534.

Vespasian. 69-79 AD. Æ Obol (3.68g, 19.5mm). Alexandria mint. AΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒΑ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΟΥ; Laureate head of Vespasian to right / Lς; Hawk standing right, wearing skhent. RPC II 2443.

Edited October 26, 2023 by rvk

[Prieure de Sion]

 
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus; Reign: Commodus; Mint: Alexandria, Egypt; Date: 183/184 AD; Nominal: Tetradrachm; Material: Billon; Diameter: 26mm; Weight: 11.97g; Reference: RPC IV.4 14196; Reference: Dattari 3874; Reference: Geissen 2215; Rare: Specimens 31 (16 in the core collections); Provenance: Kölner Münzkabinett, Germany; Provenance: Naville Numismatics London, Great Britain (Auction 41, Lot 268, 2018); Provenance: Heritage Numismatics Dallas, USA (Signature Sale 3042, Lot 32195, 2015); Obverse: Laureate head of Commodus, right; Inscription: Μ Α ΚΟ ΑΝΤⲰ ϹƐΒ ƐVϹƐΒ; Translation: Marcos Aurelios Komodos Antōninos Sebastos Eusebes; Translation: Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus Pius; Reverse: Draped bust of Nilus, right, crowned with taenia and lotus-buds, cornucopia at shoulder; Inscription: L ΚΔ; Translation: ΛUΚΑΒΑϚ (λυκαβας) Kappa (20) Delta (4); Translation: Year 24 (183/84 AD).

 

[Al Kowsky]

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian, AD 117-138 (dated RY 22, AD 137/8). Billon Tetradrachm: 13.36 gm, 26 mm, 12 h. Reverse: Seated Nilus holding reed & cornucopia, crocodile to his left. Dattari 1438.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138 (dated RY 10, AD 125/6). Billon Tetradrachm: 13.37 gm, 27 mm, 12 h. Reverse: Zeus/Jupiter. Vagi 1387 (this coin).

EGYPT, Alexandria. Philip II, AD 247-249 (dated RY 6, AD 248/9). Billon Tetradrachm: 12.26 gm, 23 mm, 12 h. Reverse: Homonoia holding double cornucopia & raising her hand for blessing. Dattari 5056. 

[DonnaML]

The only "Alexandrian" coins I have that are not from Roman Alexandria are this AR tetradrachm issued by  Ptolemy VI Philometor:

 

And this anonymous colonial civic issue from Alexandria Troas (AE 23, 251 - 260 AD, Trebonianus Gallus to Valerian I), with a draped bust of Tyche on the obverse and a grazing horse on the reverse:

As for Roman Alexandria itself, I have so many different coins -- all of which I've shown before in this forum at least once, including my just-received tetradrachm of Tiberius with Divus Augustus on the reverse -- that it would be very difficult for me to pick out a small number to show here again. So instead, here they all are in their two trays, one for the tetradrachms and smaller issues, and one for the drachms:

Here's the breakdown of the 47 coins in terms of the issues of different emperors: Tiberius 1, Claudius I 5 (including one depicting only Agrippina the Younger), Nero 4, Galba 1, Vespasian 1, Trajan 2, Hadrian 18 (including one depicting only Sabina), Antoninus Pius 7 (including one depicting only his daughter Faustina II), Elagabalus 1, Gallienus 2 (including one depicting only Salonina), Claudius II Gothicus 2, Probus 1, Diocletian 1, Anonymous 2nd century Tessera 1.

Edited October 26, 2023 by DonnaML

[Prieure de Sion]

Ptolemaios VI Philometor; Tetradrachm of the Ptolemaic Kingdom Egypt Period 180/145 BC; Material: Silver; Diameter: 28mm; Weight: 13.98g; Mint: Alexandria, Egypt; Reference: Svoronos 1489, SNG Copenhagen 262-8; Obverse: Diademed head of Ptolemy right, wearing aegis around neck; Reverse: Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; no control marks. The Inscription reads: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ for Basileos Ptolemaiou (King Ptolemaios).