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 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. 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.
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.
Nice additions. My whole gallery of Alexandrians is below. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6573
Wonderful coins but... Here's what Alexandrian texts looks like (None actually from Alexandria but ALL Alexandrian)
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 Antoninus Pius year 17 Agathodaimon Caracalla year 22 Zeus Hemidrachm Aelius Homonoia Diobols Domitian year 6 bull Commodus year 23 lion Obol (or 3/4 obol?) Hadrian year 22 Harpokrates Antoninus Pius year 10 modius Dichalkon Domitian year 11 Ibis Trajan year 17 Hem-hem crown It is not all about billon.
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... 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.
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 Well, since we are discussing drachms
Well played, sir. But these were bought after saving for some time. No lottery needed And for dealing with my shenanigans: 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
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: 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.
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 Severus Alexander Tacitus Claudius II Gothicus Carus Diocletian
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)
Congrats, @furryfrog02 for the Alegandron Tet! Bummer, not a Tet... but one I like from Alexandria: (yeah, I have some Tets) 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
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.
I knew exactly what you meant as soon as I saw Snake Cowboy You can never go wrong with a good Nike reverse...just sayin
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.