One of the Seven Wonders of the world, this amazing structure was estimated over 100 meters tall. It was one of the tallest man-made structures on earth. It was destroyed by 3 earthquakes between 956-1323, and the remnants torn down in 1480 to build the Citadel of Qaitbay on the site. I have slowly been collecting these, (they are extremely popular). I just got a third type today at CNG: It is a Hadrian hemidrachm. I liked this one for the clearly visible "ramp" to the side of it, a feature often lost on these. Here is an excellent website containing the types: http://ancientcoinage.org/lighthouses-of-alexandria.html Of the major types, I have the drachm with Isis right, the Commodus Tet, (mine is actually better than on the website, I got lucky at a coin show), and now this type. I am missing Isis left and the issue with only letters on either side of the Pharos. I am not nearly advanced enough with this mini-collection to worry about every reverse/ruler combination, (yet). Maybe someday.
I see as many of the Commodus lighthouse tets as most of his other types but I wonder if that is because they are common or if demand causes more of them to make sale catalogs. Mine was one of the lesser coins in the AK collection group I bought on Triton XX. It does seem that the two coins shown in this thread show a different building (short and round or squared and tall). Was it remodeled after Hadrian?
Nice score, @medoraman. I like that ramp detail too. I’m always tempted when I see these, but the junky example that I already have helps to keep me in check. Unfortunately, now everyone has to see it. ANTONINUS PIUS AE Drachm. 25.0g, 35.4mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 12 = AD 148/9. Emmett 1592.12; Dattari 2678 (2676?); RPC Online 14907. O: Laureate head right. R: Isis Pharia standing right, holding sail and sistrum; before, Pharos of Alexandria; L (below) DWDEKATOV (around). Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago (1982.1960)
Congrats, medman! What a great type... one I'd love to have. Here's the much more common rendition of the lighthouse of Alexandria:
Good point. I would say demand causes these to be listed separately, giving the impression they are as common as his other tets. Not being a major Roman Egypt collector, all other test of his I own I have gotten from group lots. This coin was actually a afterthought. I might not have got it except for the coin I was REALLY excited about. I posted it in an older thread here, but will post it here in case others missed that one. Its a Domitian Obol depicting "The" sphinx, the one at Giza. I know the obverse not great, but the detail of the reverse I find mesmerizing. I have looked for this type for ages. One of the first coins when I started collecting ancients was a coin depicting the Sphinx, (not A sphinx, but the one in Egypt). I was very disappointed upon hearing how rare they are, and how most show almost no detail. This is one of the best ones I have ever seen for Sphinx detail not costing thousands of dollars.
