Titus Takes a Trip Down the Nile

Yet another Flavian tet arrived at my door.



Titus
AR Tetradrachm
Alexandria mint, 80-81 AD
RPC 2467 (4 spec.)
Obv: AYTOK TITOY KAIΣ OYEΣΠAΣIANOY ΣEB; Head of Titus, laureate, r.
Rev: NIAOΣ; bust of Nilus, r., date LΓ to r., star in l. field

Tetradrachms of Titus overall are rarer than those minted for Vespasian. The vast majority were struck during Titus' second regnal year. The Nilus type was struck for Vespasian only on Alexandrian bronze. The type makes an appearance on Titus' tetradrachms during his second regnal year. An interesting local type.

Post your Nilus coins!

 

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Nice Nilus! I see the star right at the edge, but what's the other thing behind Nilus?

 

A bust of Nilus type is on the list. For now, this is what I got...


ANTONINUS PIUS
AE Drachm
22.17g, 35mm
EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 9 (145/6 AD)
Dattari (Savio) 8632; Emmett 1621.9
O: AVT K T AIL ADR ANTWNINOC CEBEVC, laureate head right.
R: Nilus reclining left, holding reed and cornucopia from which emerges a Genius; crocodile below, L ENATOV (date) around.



HADRIAN
AR Denarius
3.33g, 17mm
Rome mint, 134 - 138 AD
RIC 310g
O: HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP, bare head left.
R: NILVS, Nilus chilling out, holding reeds in crook of right arm and cornucopia in left hand; before hippo, below crocodile.

 

It's a cornucopia, in theory .

 

Hmm... that's what I originally thought, but if it's a cornucopia, it seems to be curving the wrong way?

 

Sorry, I neglected to write the full reverse description. This is how it should read:
Rev: NIAOΣ; bust of Nilus with lotus on shoulder, r., date LΓ to r., star in l. field

Also, I wish to correct a typo in the notes above: the Nilus type was struck during Titus' third regnal year, not his second. I must've been half asleep when I posted!

 

I was waiting for someone to spot that error, first thing that I thought.

 

I LOVE those types!!! Exotically lovely and full of history....

Unfortunately, I seem to have been on the losing side whenever I have bid on any...

 

Interesting coin David. Congrats!

 

Great Tet, David. Would gladly take it into my collection.

 

Great OP-addition, V70 (congrats on scoring the Titus)

Nilus, eh? ... here is one of my sweet A-Pius drachms (I love the lil' dude popping-out of Nilus' cornucopia)



Great coins, fellas (I love your example of my similar coin-type, Z-Bro)

 

solid tet V70!
my only nilus on a worn hadrian drachm...

 

Nice OP! Here's my diobol of Nilus with bluish-green patina.


Alexandria. Claudius AE25 Diobol. Nilus
Claudius AE25 Diobol of Alexandria. Year 10 = 50-51 AD. TI KLAV KAI CEBAC GEPMA, laureate head right, LI before / AVTO-KPA, bust of Nilus right, child before.

 

It's interesting to see how differently these 2nd century coins depict Nilus than the Titus tet. The Claudius is much closer.

Thanks for sharing these!