Show Us Your (Alexandrian) Tets

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by furryfrog02, Jul 3, 2020.

  1. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I have come into possession of a few Alexandria tetradrachms from Probus to add to the lone Maximianus in our collection. I've come to be really fond of these chunky little coins. There aren't many reverse designs from what I have seen but I would like to see more. So, as the title says, show us your tets!


    Probus
    Potin Tetradrachm of Alexandria
    Year 5 = 279-280 AD
    Obverse: A K M AVΡ ΠΡOBOC CEB, laureate, cuirassed bust right
    Reverse: EL to right, Nike, in long chiton, flying right carrying palm and wreath
    ex @SeptimusT (totally unbeknownst to me!)
    Probus Alexandria Tetradrachm Year 5.png

    Probus
    Potin Tetradrachm of Alexandria
    Year 7=281/282 AD
    Obverse: A K M AVΡ ΠΡOBOC CEB, laureate cuirased bust right
    Reverse: L-Z, eagle standing left, head right with wreath in its beak.
    Probus Alexandria Tetradrachm.png

    Maximianus
    Potin Tetradrachm of Alexandria
    Year 3
    Obverse: A K M OVA MAΞIMIANOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
    Reverse: Nike walking right, holding palm branch and wreath, L-Γ across fields, star to right.
    Maximianus Alexandria Tetradrachm.png
     
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  3. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Have many, here's one.

    NERO


    Type: Billon Tetradrachm, 25mm 12.73 grams

    Obverse: NERW KLAY KAIS SEB GER, Radiate crowned head facing right.

    Reverse: AVTO-KRA, Draped bust of Egyptian god Serapis facing right, wearing Kalathos (basket) on head, date LI (year 10)

    Reference: Milne 222, Koln 160, RPC 5274, BMCGr 156: Sear 2001.

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Nice one! I've bid on a few Neros in worse shape but haven't won one yet.
     
  5. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

  6. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

  7. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Wonderful coins but...
    Here's what Alexandrian texts looks like;)
    20191201_113330_95332650-A6F8-4CA3-B140-225F84A10422-1863-00000265CEC67CC1.jpg
    20190326_140125_5CCAFDA4-7F83-4C1E-B272-325191995DC3-406-000000AF818F6F98.png 20190326_172150_ACE5DBD0-870B-4974-9441-1B8D7515863A-406-000000E6E32D723A.png
    (None actually from Alexandria but ALL Alexandrian):smuggrin:
     
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  8. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I feel terrible not having any new Alexandrian tets to post here and am sure most people have seen my ten favorites and ten next favorites and........ sooooo....

    Here are a few of my Alexandrian coins that you probably have seen before but that are not tets. Alexandrian drachms and fractions are, if anything, more popular than the tets. The fractions stop being common as inflation made them unneeded for daily use. Alexandrian coins only circulated in Egypt by law. Many circulated for a long time and many scarce types are hard to find in unworn condition. I have very few really worn ones and am amazed at the prices paid for some of the really poor condition but super interesting reverses.

    I just bought and am not yet finished reading the book The Roman Coins of Alexandria by Erik Christiansen which I do NOT recommend for 99% of people who collect Alexanrian. It only covers coins of Nero, Trajan and Septimius Severus. I got it to see the Severans. It does not even include the coins of Caracalla and Geta struck after their father died. There are more specialized books on coins but most people would be really upset if they bought this not knowing its limits. My copy came from a Modern Coin dealer who had no idea why anyone would pay the going price for a two volume set on coins nobody has and included ONLY two plates showing plaster casts illustrating a few die link examples. Don't buy it without contacting me. Mine is not for sale but I want to be sure you know what it is before buying it. Christianson disagrees with the standard denominations of Alexandrian AE coins listing fractions of the drachm as halves, quarters and eighths rather than using diobol, obol etc. I don't know the argument (have not read that far yet).

    AE Drachms:
    Trajan year 17 Eirene and Homonoia
    pa0210fp0345.jpg
    Antoninus Pius year 17 Agathodaimon
    pa0250bb0458.jpg

    Caracalla year 22 Zeus
    pa1500fd3427.jpg

    Hemidrachm
    Aelius Homonoia
    pa0245bb3126.jpg

    Diobols
    Domitian year 6 bull
    pa0200fd1726.jpg

    Commodus year 23 lion
    pa0430fd3405.jpg

    Obol (or 3/4 obol?)
    Hadrian year 22 Harpokrates
    pa0242fd3301.jpg

    Antoninus Pius year 10 modius
    pa0280bb2299.jpg

    Dichalkon
    Domitian year 11 Ibis
    pa0190fd0397.jpg

    Trajan year 17 Hem-hem crown
    pa0212bb3184.jpg

    It is not all about billon.
     
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  9. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Sorry for the confusion @Ryro....I don't think I will ever own an "Alexandrian" Tet. Not unless I win the lottery. I will stick with my lowly billon. I did think of you when I came up with the title though...:rolleyes: Hopefully you enjoyed the word play.

    @dougsmit those are some great examples. I particularly like the Domitian with the ibis on the reverse. I've seen lots of different animals on coins but I don't think I've ever seen an ibis before.
     
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  10. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Aurelius Caesar:

    Type: AE Drachm, 33mm, 22.95 grams of Alexandria

    Obverse: Bare headed and draped bust of Aurelius right
    M AVPHLIOC KAICAP

    Reverse: Elpis Standing left holding flower and hitching skirt
    LEND EKATOV

    Reference: BMC 1238 listed as "rare" by R.A. Numismatics

    [​IMG]

    Well, since we are discussing drachms
     
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  11. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Well played, sir. But these were bought after saving for some time. No lottery needed:D
    And for dealing with my shenanigans:
    20190713_123527_944EFABD-D4E4-4A66-B222-E84B3051C29F-2188-0000030E5409DE46.png
    Nero With Poppaea
    ALEXANDRIA
    Billon tetradrachmon, 63-64. Head with strkr. No. Rv. [POPPAI] A SEBASTH Drap. Bust nr, the hair in the neck in a braid, in the field r. Date LI (= year 10). 12.18 g. Geissen 58, 157. Dattari 12, 196. RPC I, 708, 5275. Rare.
    Ex: Savoca
     
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  12. FitzNigel

    FitzNigel Medievalist

    This is not an area I focus on in collecting, although I have been enamored with the issues just before diocletian’s reforms (not to mention @TIF’a gorgeous collection of coins from Alexandria). I bought this one on a whim from a JAZ auction:
    Anc-10-R4-k0064-Nero-Egypt-TET-Alexandria-657.jpg
    Provincial Rome - Egypt
    Nero, r. 54-68 A.D. (64-5 A.D.)
    Alexandria mint, BL Tetradrachm, 24.23 mm x 11.8 grams
    Obv.: NEPΩ KΛAY ΚΑΙΣ ΣEB ΓEP. Radiate bust right, wearing aegis
    Rev.: AYTOKPA. Eagle standing left, palm frond behind, L IA to left
    Ref.: SRCV 2003
    Ex. Doug Smith Collection

    and it’s not a bad provenance either ;). As I have lately been reading more about Roman coins, it has occurred to me the special place that Alexandrian coins hold in the Empire, and that perhaps I ought to rethink labeling them as ‘Provincial,’ and leaving them in their own category.
     
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  13. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    Nice pick up on the Tets FF02! I too really like these chunky guys and don't have nearly enough - here are a few of the Tets I have with pics.

    Hadrian_Emmett-879.jpg
    Hadrian


    Severus-Alexander__Egypt-Alexandria_Emmett_3118-3.jpg
    Severus Alexander


    tn_29A377.jpg
    Tacitus


    tn_Claudius-II-Gothicus-Koln_3017.jpg
    Claudius II Gothicus


    tn_Carus_Roman-Egypt_Emmet-3996.jpg
    Carus


    Diocletian_Emmett-4046.jpg
    Diocletian

     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2020
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  14. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    That is a great looking Hadrian @dadams !
     
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  15. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Since Agathadaemon was shown...My Nerva from Alexandria...

    Type: Billon Tetradrachm, 25mm, 12.7 grams, mint of Alexandria year 96-97 A.D.

    Obverse: Bust of Nerva facing right, KAIS SEB AVT NEPOVAS

    Reverse: Agathodaemon serpent coiled with head right, holding caduceus and grain ear within coils, wearing the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. In exergue, LA.

    Reference: Milne 542, Dattari 638 (rare)

    [​IMG]
     
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  16. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Congrats, @furryfrog02 for the Alegandron Tet! :)

    Bummer, not a Tet... but one I like from Alexandria: (yeah, I have some Tets)

    [​IMG]
    Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari.
    In the name of Livia, wife of Augustus
    Diobol circa 1-2 (year 31),
    Æ 23.5mm., 7.46g.
    Draped bust r.
    Rev. Athena standing l., holding Nike and leaning on shield; L-ΛA.
    Dattari-Savio Pl. 3, 60 (this coin). RPC pag. 692, 5 (this coin cited).
    Very rare. Nice brown-green tone. Very Fine
    From the Dattari collection.
    In our opinion is correct the interpretation of Dattari on this coin and the date shown on the Rev. is L-ΛA and not LMA as suggested from RPC.
    Ex: Naville
     
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  17. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    That's an interesting one, @Alegandron. Even better because Athena is holding Nike :)
     
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  18. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    I've been on the hunt for a nice agathodaimon reverse ever since @TIF posted her diobol Snake Cowboy , but once you get away from Eagle, Elpis and Nike reverses some of these tets get pretty pricey.
     
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  19. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I knew exactly what you meant as soon as I saw Snake Cowboy :p
    You can never go wrong with a good Nike reverse...just sayin :rolleyes:
     
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  20. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    I don't think anyone has a coin as cool as @TIF 's Domitian with the snake on horseback. Definitely some weird syncretic religious stuff going on.
     
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  21. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    [​IMG]
    RI Carinus 282-285 CE BI Potin Tet Alexandria Egypt 19mm Athena Seated holding Nike
     
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