This one had me puzzled because I didn't know that coins this size could be called drachms... I was searching for a sestertius Another overcleaned and corroded but interesting coin from the TIF's Folly mixed lot. 33 mm, 23.3 gm. Here's the attribution, lifted from a similar coin in CNG's archives. The date of mine can't be confirmed due to the condition. http://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=167724 EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (33mm, 29.85 g, 12h). Dated RY 10 (AD 146/7). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Isis seated right, suckling the child Horus (Harpocrates); L ΔЄKATOV (date) around. Köln 1548; Dattari (Savio) 2649; K&G 35.357. Near VF, rough brown surfaces. From Collection CR. Following Alexander’s conquest of Egypt, the cult of Isis spread across the Mediterranean, with its popularity reaching its zenith in the Roman period, when the “goddess of a thousand names” became one of the Mediterranean’s principle deities. It is generally assumed that the iconography of Isis nursing Harpocrates influenced Christian representations of the Madonna and Child, particularly the Virgo lactans type popular in Medieval Europe.
Another Super addition from TIF's Treasure-chest!! (good snag) I have a couple of ol' Alexandria Drachms as well ... EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius Æ Drachm AD 138-161 Dated RY 7 (AD 143/4) Diameter: 34 mm Weight: 23.02 grams Obverse: Laureate head right Reverse: Nilus reclining left, holding reed and cornucopia from which emerges a Genius; crocodile below; L Z (date) to left, Iς above Reference: Köln 1449; Dattari (Savio) 2747; K&G 35.217 Other: 12h … attractive blue-green patina, edge split Ex Greenpoint Collection (acquired from Ralph DeMarco) Marcus Aurelius AE Drachma ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT AD 161-180 (struck AD 150/151) Diameter: 31.9 mm Weight: 15.66 grams Obverse: Laureate head of Marcus Aurelius right Reverse: Female “griffine” seated right, left paw on wheel, across field regional year ( 14 = AD 150/51 ) Reference: Dattari 3224, Emmett 1866 (Rarity 3) Other: Good fine … 12h NOTE => Ex James E. Seaver collection
TIF => I really like the reverse on your new fat/phat drachm => Isis seated right, suckling the child Horus (sweet)
Thanks, Steve. It's charming, isn't it? It was so funny when I was maniacally searching for it this morning. I was looking in Roman Imperial guides like ERIC and coming up blank. Duh. Provincial. I'd seen pictures of yours and others before but didn't realize they were so BIG, sestertius-sized. Speaking of nomenclature, why are those Alexandrian coins I posted yesterday (the dozen) called "tetradrachms" and these monsters called "drachms"? Seems like it should be the other way around, or the 30+mms should be called [googling the prefix for quadrupled tetra] hexakaidecadrachms. Or maybe just doubled, octadrachm.
I have one of these also: Antoninus Pius Provincial Bronze Drachm Alexandria Sphinx Obverse: Laureate head left AYT K T AIΛ AΔP ANTWNINOC CEB EYC (Augustus Caesar Antoninus Augustus Pius) Reverse: Sphinx seated right, wings raised, left forepaw on wheel, modius on head L IZ (year 17) Metal: Bronze Size: 33mm Weight: 19.60gm Catalog: Milne 2249 Struck: AD 153-154 Alexandria Egypt Looks like the same design was used for the sphinx on my coin and stevex6's "griffine", except for the figure's head.
yeeehaaa => that's a sweet lookin' sphinx, willieboyd2 (super coin!!) ... huh, and it's a cool left-facing bust as well (that's bonus points, brother!!)
drach 'm if you got 'em! don't have one from Alexandria.... but i have a little more cash to spend for i go back on the wagon..... hmmmmmmm..
Bronze drachms of the time of Pius are large to be worth 1/4 of the smaller tetradrachms made of lower grade silver than was use in denarii but that were heavy enough to make the value. The tetradrachms you have seen here before were over a century later and had much less silver not to mention smaller size. Below are matching tetradrachm (13.0g) and drachm (20.7g) of Pius. The tetradrachm is twice as thick but smaller diameter and has enough silver to be gray in color. There are also smaller bronzes like this obol (1/6 drachm, I assume) at 4.8g. It strikes me that, on average, smaller coins weigh a bit more than they should even if you allow for the wear difference and Alexandrian bronzes are often well worn.
