I expect I wasn't the only collector with an interest in coins of Roman Egypt who went slack-jawed on viewing what was offered from the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection at the Triton XXI auction last month. The Collection featured in its own separate catalog, honestly one of the most beautiful I've had the pleasure of flipping through, and for weeks before the auction, I dreamed of and drooled after many of the gorgeous and rare (and ultra rare!) Alexandrian coins that I had about zero chance of winning. While it was fun fantasizing about owning an A-Pi drachm showing Orpheus charming a menagerie of animals, or Herakles dragging Kerberos out of the underworld, I ultimately drew up a short and more realistic list of lots with comparatively modest estimates and on auction day stood fast with my maximum bids. I was pretty thrilled when I actually managed to walk away with one win that day, a Marcus Aurelius tetradrachm with a handsome portrait of the then 28-year old Caesar. Apart from its Staffieri provenance, it's also an ex Dattari coin (116 of the 273 coins came from the Dattari Collection). It's taken awhile for it to arrive, but it finally did so today, and I'm glad to say that it does not in the least bit disappoint . Please feel free to share any Marcus Aurelius coins of Alexandria, or your Staffieri or Dattari Collection coins. 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 examples). 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. Catalog notes: "Very rare, nice metal, and of fine style, probably the finest known for the type." Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection; Ex Dr. Piero Beretta Collection; Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection
That's gorgeous! The only thing halfway relevant I have to contribute is this Alexandrian tet of his wife, Faustina II: Faustina Jr, AD 161-175 Billon Tetradrachm; 13.82 g, 23.2 mm Alexandria, AD 148/9 Obv: ΦΑΥCΤΙΝΑ CЄΒΑCΤΗ, pearl-diademed and draped bust, right Rev: L ΔѠΔЄΚΑΤΟΥ (regnal year 12 of Antoninus Pius), Dikaiosyne seated left, holding scales and cornucopiae Refs: Köln 1944; Dattari 3238; BMC 1317; Emmett 1938.
Very nice, Z. Great surfaces on it. Posted not too long ago & from the ghetto streets of Ebay. Marcus Aurelius (139 - 161 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Billon Tetradrachm O: M AYRHLIOC KAICAR, bareheaded, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: Homonoia standing left by altar, holding patera and double cornucopiae. LI-Z across fields. Year 17 (of Antoninus Pius), 153-154 A.D. 12.81g 21mm Dattari 3150; Emmett 1850; Kampmann 37.67
Nice. I remember this Emmett R5 of yours . It really strikes me as interesting how we get from nice portraits like these to the crude almost cartoonish ones of Commodus as Augustus just a few decades later.
It's a marvelous portrait, Z! Marcus Aurelius was very handsome in his younger years, if coin portraits are accurate. You know I got a Staffieri lot too, but I'm not ready to show it. Instead, here are a couple of MAs won in past auctions: 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 EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius year 12, CE 171/2 AE diobol, 22 mm, 7.53 gm Obv: [MAV]PHΛIOC ANTω[ΝΙΝΟCCE]; laureate bust right Rev: Uraeus serpent erect left, wearing headdress; "holding" sistrum and grain ear; LI - B across upper fields Ref: Dattari 3605 and Pl. XXXII, 3605 (this coin). Dattari-Savio Pl. 193, 3605 (this coin); Geissen --; Emmett 2260.12, R5 ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)
I have a few ex Dattari coins. 2 of these are plate coins. Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari. Gallienus, 253-268 Tetradrachm circa 267-268 (year 15), billon (23mm., 9.51g.) Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. Eagle standing l., holding wreath in beak; behind, palm. Geissen 2944. Dattari-Savio Pl. 273, 10547. Extremely Fine. From the Dattari collection. Naville Numismatics 29 February 26 2017 Lot # 438 Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari. Vespasian, 69-79 Diobol circa 70-71 (year 3), Æ ( 26.5mm., 9.15g.) Obv: Laureate head r. Rev. Bust of Isis r.; in front, LΓ. RPC 2430 (this coin cited). Dattari-Savio Pl. 14, 382 (this coin). Brown tone. Very Fine. From the Dattari collection. Naville Numismatics Auction #30, Lot 283, April 02, 2017. Coin depicted in the Wildwinds.com database. Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari. Antoninus Pius, 138-161 Diobol circa 151-152 (year 15), Æ 22.5mm., 7.45g. Obv: Laureate bust r., drapery on l. shoulder. Rev. Agathodaemon erect, crowned with skhent; in field, L-E. RPC Online 15718 (this coin). Dattari-Savio Pl. 162, 3066 (this coin). Good Fine. From the Dattari collection. Ex: The Hunterian, University of Glasgow Ex: Naville Numismatics Auction 34, Lot 281 September 17, 2017 CONSTANTINO I. Follis. Antioch (313-314). (19.53 mm 3.05g) Marks: crown, Γ and III in the field. ANT in the exergue. R / IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG. RIC VII ANTIOCH-7 (R5). Leaflet. EBC-. Rare. Ex C. Dattari. Jesus Vico Subastas Online Auction 3 Lot 332 September 18, 2017 Constantine I. Follis. Constantinople (328-9) (19.6 mm 2.60 g) Obv: CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed, draped bust right Rev: CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE, Victory seated left on cippus, looking right, holding palm branch in each hand, trophy in background, captive seated left at foot. Officina letter B in left field. Mintmark CONS star. RIC VII 38 (R4). EF-/EF. Very scarce. Ex: Dattari Collection
