Today I drove my wife to an eye appointment in a part of town new to me and killed some time in a brick and mortar coin shop which had very few ancients. Most were not identified but the dealer seemed to know more than I expect from such a shop. This one had stumped him and he didn't want to sell it (probably fearing it was a rarity?). I told him it was a Hadrian from Alexandria and a small denomination which I needed so I was interested in it. He looked it up found nothing exact but convinced himself it was not rare and sold it to me. Why I wanted the coin is that the reverse shows an Eqyptian god, Harpocrates, while most Alexandrian coins seem to have Greek deities or personifications. I would have preferred a coin with something that was more obviously Egyptian but the Hem-hem crown here is nice. I also like the add-on pomegranate on the reverse and the fact that this is the last year of Hadrian's reign (L KB= year 22). I was not well enough versed in these to be sure but I hoped this 19mm coin was a smaller denomination but it is just an obol. The obverse legend is pretty clear on the left for such a tiny coin of Alexandria but the right side which names Hadrian is gone. AVT KAIC TPA This would be a good place to show your Alexandrian obols. I have one other Hadrian, a deer from year 11.
What a dandy surprise pick-up! I'd love to be able to do that at my local coin shop, unfortunately the few ancients they have are way over priced and the staff is fairly unfriendly.
I'd love to have that one. What a nice and unexpected find! Alexandrian obols: EGYPT, Alexandria. Vespasian year 5, CE 72/3 obol, 21 mm, 5.2 gm Obv: AVTOKKAIΣΣEBAOVEΣΠAΣIANOV; laureate bust right Rev: hawk* standing right; LE in left field Ref: Emmett 222(5), Milne 430 *Emmett calls this a hawk; elsewhere I've seen it as "falcon [or Horus falcon] standing right on ground line, wearing sekhemti(pschent) crown" EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian year 11, CE 126/7 AE obol, 10 mm, 5.8 gm Obv: AVTKAITPAIAΔPIACEB; Laureate head right Rev: Stag standing right; L - IA Ref: Emmett 1169(11), Milne 1235; Dattari 7942; K&G 32.439 EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar AE obol, 20.5 mm, 6.0 gm. Alexandria. Year 15 (CE 151/2) Obv: MAVPHΛICKAICAP; bust right, bare head Rev: Sphinx crouched right; LIE (date) above in left field Ref: Emmett 1919.15, R5; Dattari 3221; RPC IV online 15684
Oh my. No Obols here. Nice find Doug. Like Vesp said, only one coin shop with limited Ancients and not so friendly unless you're buying high end US coins.
The guy was friendly and said he had other things on eBay but I forgot his eBay name. I guess that is something a shop might want to consider before picking something strange. I also saw something that made me feel good. He had a dozen coins returned by NGC for one reason or another (fake, unable to ID and bronze disease). They were all correct.
i don't have any alexandrian obols either. but that's a fun surprise to find DS. i had no clue who harpocrates was, i guess he's a hellenized horus? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpocrates
Very cool OP-Harpocrates ... wow, another sweet recent snag, Mentor (you're on a tear, eh?) => sounds like a plan ... hmmm, apparently I only have two Alexandrian "Obols" (same ol, same ol) Hadrian A-Pius
That's a wonderful pick-up Doug! No Obols here either, but you guys have me trying for all types I run across with Egyptian Deities... Ok, nobody tell @panzerman about this LOL
This is one of my favorites. It's an Ae Tetradrachm of Vespasian with the bust of Titus on the reverse. Not sure there's another two emperor Alexandrian type.
Nice find, Doug! I had a deer obol of Hadrian's a few months back, which was my introduction to Alexandrian obols...
You guys are lucky, 2 or 3 coin stores in my area, maybe 1 or 2 over priced ancients every few months.
