Billion Tetradrachms

Nice ones @TIF - especially like the Julia Mamaea !!!

 

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Some great beauties there, @TIF. Splendid classical portraits of Selene, Gallienus (almost Baroque style), and Lucius Verus.

 

Alexandrian tetradrachms were always great favorites with me since I started in Ancients. And then there are the lesser known coins like drachms and obols. Here are some of mine.



AE13 dichalkon Trajan 98-117. Alexandria. RY 17 (=113/4). Obv. Laureate head right. Rev. Hem-hem crown of Harpokrates; L I-Z (year) in field below. 13 mm, 1.18 gr. Not in Dattari.



AE17 Hadrianus 117-138, Alexandria. AE Obol, AD 126-7. Obv. Laureate head right. Rev. Stag with large antlers standing right, head looking upward, date L IA (year 11) in fields. 17 mm, 5.68 g. Dattari 2023. From JAZ at Cointalk (this is his picture!)



Tetradrachm Gordian III (238-244) as Caesar, Alexandria. Year 1 (=238). Obv. Bare head, draped and cuirassed, t.r., M ANT GORDIANOS KAIS. Rev. Nike seated t.l., holding wreath, year A. Greyish billon with slightly silvery patina. 21 mm, 12.23 gr. Dattari (Savio) 4695.



Tetradrachm Gordian III (238-244), Alexandria. Dated RY Z (7, = 244). Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Tyche reclining left on lectisternium (couch), holding rudder, resting elbow on pillow and leaning head backwards on hand. 22 mm, 13.89 gr. Dattari (Savio) 4784.



Potin tetradrachm Quietus (usurper, 260-261). Alexandria year 1 = 260. Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Eagle standing left, wings open, holding wreath in beak; L A (date) to left. 20-22 mm, 9.39 gr. Dattari (Savio) 5382.



Potin tetradrachm Diocletianus 292/3. Alexandria. 19 mm, 6.90 gr. Dated RY 11 (AD 294/5). Obv.: Laureate and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: Nike advancing right, holding wreath and palm; L IA (date) across field. Dattari (Savio) 5741.

 

Super nice coins @Pellinore - and that Quietus is rare and cool!

 

I was very content with the Gordian Caesar, with its bland portrait. Must be scarce, for he was only caesar for a short while, during troubled times.

 

Yes, that is a spectacular coin! As is your Gordian as Augustus, which must surely be best-of-type.

 

Diocletian, Potin Tetradrachm, Alexandria


Obv: A K G OVAL DIOKLHTIANOC CEB, laureate, cuirassed bust right

Rev: Eirene standing left, wearing long chiton and peplos,
holding olive-branch in right hand, transverse sceptre on
left arm, L-B across fields (Year 2)

 

Thanks for starting this thread, @britannia40 . I have not seen many of Faustina Junior:


EGYPT, Faustina Junior (147-175 AD), dated Regnal Year 12 of Antoninus Pius (147/8 AD), billion tetradrachm 22mm 13.61g
Obv: ΦΑVС[ΤΙΝΑ] СƐΒΑСΤΗ; Faustina II
Rev: L ΔωΔƐΚΑΤΟV; Eusebeia seated left, holding patera over lit altar, holding long scepter
RPC vol 4 #13632 (temporary), D 3247, Geissen 1945, M 1985

Faustina the younger was wife of Marcus Aurelius.

The concept of Eusebeia is anthropomorphized as the spirit of piety, loyalty, duty and filial respect. According to one source, her husband is Nomos (Law), and their daughter is Dike, goddess of justice and fair judgment. The Roman equivalent is Pietas.

 

Wow, Ed. What a fantastic portrait!

 

I actually obtained a new Tet at a Romanuministic auction. I bid on it because I found the obverse unique for a Tet. I was surprised I won.

Diocletian BI Tetradrachm of Alexandria, Egypt. Dated RY 9 = AD 292/3. ΔIOKΛHTIANOC CЄB, laureate and cuirassed bust right / L ЄNATOY in three lines within wreath. Emmett 4084; Köln 3265; Dattari (Savio) 5787-8; CNG e270, 250. 6.50g, 18mm,12h

 

My appreciation for these tets came a little late as I initially had a preference for the big 2nd century drachms. Here I am, late again.

MARCUS AURELIUS, as Caesar
Billon Tetradrachm. 12.86g, 24.5mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 13 of Antoninus Pius (AD 149/150). Dattari (Savio) 3185 (this coin); Emmett 1868.13 (R4); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 169 (this coin); RPC Online temp #14367 (4 ex, this coin cited). O: M AVPHΛIC • KAICAP, bareheaded and draped bust right. R: Zeus (‘Jupiter Capitolinus’) enthroned left, holding phiale in his extended right hand and scepter with his left; at his feet, eagle standing left, head right, wings closed; L IΓ (date) across upper field. Very Rare.
Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection (purchased from Dr. Piero Beretta, Milan, April 1972); Ex Dr. Piero Beretta Collection; Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection

SEVERUS ALEXANDER
Potin Tetradrachm. 14.14g, 23.2mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 2 (AD 222/223). RPC Online Temp #10249 (34 spec); Emmett 3139.2; Dattari (Savio) 4373. O: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: Tyche standing facing, head left, holding rudder and cornucopia; L B (date) to upper left.
Ex Hermanubis Collection


AURELIAN with VABALATHUS
Potin Tetradrachm. 8.91g, 22.5mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 2 of Aurelian, RY 5 of Vabalathus (AD 270/271). Emmett 3914. O: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Aurelian right; L-B (date) in lower right field. R: Laureate, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Vabalathus right; L-E (date) across field.


ANTONINUS PIUS
Billon Tetradrachm. 12.71g, 22.5mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 5 = AD 141/142. Dattari-Savio pl. 108, 8094 (this coin); Emmett 1362.5; RPC Online 14246 (2 spec., this coin cited). O: Laureate head left. R: L-E, Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow from quiver at shoulder, holding bow. Notes: Rare left-facing bust for this type.
Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago (1981.513); Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection

 

those are some very nice pieces. Better late then never.

 

The title through me off. BILLON, not BILLION. Just a typo, but it made me look!

 

click bait

 

I have a small Probus collection of these Alexandrian coins for which I have created a Forvm gallery which covers the majority of the types for Probus.

It contains a few examples from the collection of Keith Emmett and the Col. James W. Curtis collections and some scarcer varieties.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1721

an example:-

Probus, Billon tetradrachm

Obv:– A K M AVR PROBOC CEB, Laureate draped bust right
Rev:– None, Bust of Serapis right
Minted in Alexandria Egypt. L - E | _ Year 5. A.D. 279-280
Reference:– Milne 4605. Curtis X-1889, Emmett 3993(5) R4. BMC -. Dattari 5544

6.79 gms

 

It's a lovely example but what about it did you find unique?

 

I obtained this one because it has about the finest portrait of Gallienus you'll find anywhere. It's so nice, I doubt even @TIF would find the well-rendered neck-beard a turnoff. The reverse? Well ... worthy of the "Ancient Static" thread.


Gallienus, AD 253-268.
Roman provincial billon tetradrachm, 8.70 g, 23 mm.
Egypt, Alexandria, AD 266/7.
Obv: AVT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CЄB, laureate and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: Homonoia standing left, raising hand and holding double cornucopia; L IΔ (= regnal year 14) before, palm frond behind.
Refs: Dattari (Savio) 5246; BMCG 2186; Cologne 2937; Milne 4136; RCV 10580; Emmett 3816.14; K&G 90.93.

 

The longer hair on his neck beard-- long enough to curl a bit-- makes it look less like a bad case of acne (as is the usual rendering) and more like hair. Magnificent!

 

I haven't seen a tet with the wreath similar to a VOT

 

That is incredible! Looks like his sculptures!