Extremely Rare Depiction of an Egyptian Temple

CNG 105, Lot: 600. Estimate $1000. Sold for $1400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ Drachm (35mm, 25.21 g, 12h). Dated RY 12 (AD 108/109). Laureate and draped bust right / Egyptan temple with two pylons enclosing a statue of Ptah(?), which is standing right and holding a Canopus; between the pylons above, eagle standing facing, wings spread, head right; below, steps leading to temple; [L I]-B (date) to either side of steps. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 7280-1 var. (obv. bust type with aegis and statue of Ptah facing left); K&G –; RPC II 4329 = BMC Suppl. 2781 = Emmett 522.12 (R5). Near Fine, brown surfaces with touches of green, some roughness. Extremely rare, possibly the second known for this variety with Ptah facing right, and Trajan’s bust draped right without the aegis.

An extremely rare coin with five examples known, including this coin, for both varieties (RPC II 4328 and 4329 – the first coin cited by RPC for 4328, SNG BN 1067, is incorrectly identified and clearly a different variety). The other references tentatively identify the standing figure within the temple as Isis, but on the present specimen it is clear that the figure is bald, and without any sort of headdress, hence our attribution to Ptah.