A nice day at the beach, for sure. “A well-preserved bronze coin depicting the Roman moon goddess Luna has been found off the coast of Carmel in Haifa, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Monday. The coin was struck at Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE). The reverse depicts Luna over a representation of the zodiacal sign Cancer. The coin carries the date ‘Year eight,’ which corresponds to the eighth year ofAntoninus Pius’ reign, approximately 144/145 CE.” https://m.jpost.com/archaeology/article-713002 https://arkeonews.net/a-spectacular...ddess-was-discovered-off-the-coast-of-israel/
Hi All, Here is the Roman Provincial Coinage online listing: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/13544 - Broucheion
It is a nice Alexandria AE drachm of Antoninus Pius. But I wonder why the discovery of a single ancient coin in Israel makes headlines. This one is not particularly rare, nor is it in an exceptional state of preservation.
Thank goodness the reverse survived & it was the obverse that got corroded! (Not that it's really a super rarity.) You're definitely right. I think it's because it's "pretty rare" but of a very highly desirable type and part of a "set" for which this one is "needed." It's part of the famous Zodiac Series, which everyone interested in Alexandrian coins (including museums) wants to have. Kind of like calling an EID MAR Denarius rare: There are like 100 of them! That's not RARE! Half my collection is rare by that definition! What counts as rare, of course, isn't an absolute but relative to how desirable the type is and how many collectors "need" it. If RPC's right, there might be only half a dozen museums that have one of these, and even fewer that have a "complete set" of Zodiac Drachms of Antoninus, because there other rarities in that series... (I don't remember if the ANS does, but they've published at least one article recently on their own Zodiac Drachm collection.) I'm sure there are lots of museums (and lots of very wealthy collectors) who want this one. Just like any other of the Zodiac Drachms (or Labors of Herakles Drachms).
Hi @GinoLR, The Alexandrian economy was supposed to be closed. There are very few Alexandrian coins ever found outside of Egypt. It also helps that the coin comes from a desirable set. - Broucheion
Yes indeed, but some did circulate outside Egypt in neighbouring provinces. This reminds me of this Antoninus Pius drachm of Alexandria just found in Hegra, Saudi Arabia, last winter (not my coin) : This coin has been clipped (for what purpose?) and the photograph is not that good, but it proves that a few Alexandrian coins did circulate outside Egypt. In Hegra they even also found a very worn 80-drachm AE coin of Cleopatra :
Hi @GinoLR, Thank you for reporting this. It is very interesting to see Ptolemaic or Roman Alexandrian coins out of Egypt. - Broucheion
