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<p>[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 8237561, member: 110350"]I was going to say Phinally, but decided it would be too cutesy.</p><p><br /></p><p>One or two of you may remember that I used to have an Antoninus Pius tetradrachm from Roman Alexandria that didn't depict the Pharos on the reverse, but at least showed Isis Pharia and her billowing sail: </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1449467[/ATTACH] </p><p>Unfortunately, I eventually learned that it was a fake, because our member [USER=88227]@jb_depew[/USER] posted about his own virtually identical specimen, and [USER=21445]@Mat[/USER] pointed out that it's a common fake with several posts on the Forvm Fake Coins reports showing examples with the exact same cracks in them. The dealer accepted the evidence and refunded the purchase price upon return of the coin. Ever since, I've been on the lookout for a replacement, or, better yet, an example that depicts the Lighthouse of Alexandria itself as well as Isis. I had no luck for quite a while, because such types don't seem to come up that often. Recently, a Hadrian drachm showing both was offered for sale in the Facebook ancient and medieval coins sales group, and even though it's not in great condition -- VG? F? I don't really care -- it looked good to me and had a CNG auction provenance, so I snapped it up immediately. One can see the Pharos itself clearly, even if the figures at the top are mostly worn off, so I'm satisfied!</p><p> </p><p>Hadrian, AE Drachm, Year 17 (AD 132/133), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Isis Pharia, holding billowing sail and sistrum above, sailing right towards the Pharos of Alexandria, which has doorway in front and is surmounted by a statue as well as two tritons blowing seashell trumpets; [L]I – Z (Year 17) across lower fields behind and in front of Isis. 33 mm., 22.64 g., 12 h. Emmett 1002.17, K&G 32.547, RPC III Online 5838 (see <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5838" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5838" rel="nofollow">https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5838</a>), Milne 1373 at p. 33. <i>Purchased Feb. 2022; ex. Classical Numismatic Group, eAuction 384, Oct. 12, 2016, Lot 482.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>These are CNG's photos:</p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>[ATTACH=full]1449473[/ATTACH] </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>[ATTACH=full]1449474[/ATTACH] </i></p><p><br /></p><p>I guess they hadn't quite mastered perspective yet, making Isis Pharia look like she's about 500 feet tall!</p><p><br /></p><p>I don't think that's a window part of the way up the lighthouse -- just some kind of gouge or flan flaw. Similarly, it looks like there might be something in the doorway, but I don't think that's really anything either, judging from other specimens I've seen.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here's the new drachm in its tray, together with my three other Alexandrian drachmae -- one Trajan showing the emperor in a quadriga of elephants, another Hadrian depicting a sphinx, and an Antoninus Pius Zodiac drachm with a lion and Aries. (I've posted in detail about the three of them previously.)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1449475[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1449476[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Not one of them is in as good condition as most of the Alexandrian tetradrachms I have, but there's something about the size and solidity of these big bronzes that I enjoy nonetheless.</p><p><br /></p><p>Please post your own coins showing Isis Pharia and/or the Pharos, or any other Alexandrian drachmae you might have.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 8237561, member: 110350"]I was going to say Phinally, but decided it would be too cutesy. One or two of you may remember that I used to have an Antoninus Pius tetradrachm from Roman Alexandria that didn't depict the Pharos on the reverse, but at least showed Isis Pharia and her billowing sail: [ATTACH=full]1449467[/ATTACH] Unfortunately, I eventually learned that it was a fake, because our member [USER=88227]@jb_depew[/USER] posted about his own virtually identical specimen, and [USER=21445]@Mat[/USER] pointed out that it's a common fake with several posts on the Forvm Fake Coins reports showing examples with the exact same cracks in them. The dealer accepted the evidence and refunded the purchase price upon return of the coin. Ever since, I've been on the lookout for a replacement, or, better yet, an example that depicts the Lighthouse of Alexandria itself as well as Isis. I had no luck for quite a while, because such types don't seem to come up that often. Recently, a Hadrian drachm showing both was offered for sale in the Facebook ancient and medieval coins sales group, and even though it's not in great condition -- VG? F? I don't really care -- it looked good to me and had a CNG auction provenance, so I snapped it up immediately. One can see the Pharos itself clearly, even if the figures at the top are mostly worn off, so I'm satisfied! Hadrian, AE Drachm, Year 17 (AD 132/133), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Isis Pharia, holding billowing sail and sistrum above, sailing right towards the Pharos of Alexandria, which has doorway in front and is surmounted by a statue as well as two tritons blowing seashell trumpets; [L]I – Z (Year 17) across lower fields behind and in front of Isis. 33 mm., 22.64 g., 12 h. Emmett 1002.17, K&G 32.547, RPC III Online 5838 (see [URL]https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5838[/URL]), Milne 1373 at p. 33. [I]Purchased Feb. 2022; ex. Classical Numismatic Group, eAuction 384, Oct. 12, 2016, Lot 482. [/I] These are CNG's photos: [I] [ATTACH=full]1449473[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1449474[/ATTACH] [/I] I guess they hadn't quite mastered perspective yet, making Isis Pharia look like she's about 500 feet tall! I don't think that's a window part of the way up the lighthouse -- just some kind of gouge or flan flaw. Similarly, it looks like there might be something in the doorway, but I don't think that's really anything either, judging from other specimens I've seen. Here's the new drachm in its tray, together with my three other Alexandrian drachmae -- one Trajan showing the emperor in a quadriga of elephants, another Hadrian depicting a sphinx, and an Antoninus Pius Zodiac drachm with a lion and Aries. (I've posted in detail about the three of them previously.) [ATTACH=full]1449475[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1449476[/ATTACH] Not one of them is in as good condition as most of the Alexandrian tetradrachms I have, but there's something about the size and solidity of these big bronzes that I enjoy nonetheless. Please post your own coins showing Isis Pharia and/or the Pharos, or any other Alexandrian drachmae you might have.[/QUOTE]
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