Triton XXI, Lot: 59. Estimate $1500. Sold for $2750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. BI Tetradrachm (25mm, 12.87 g, 12h). Dated RY 10 (AD 125/126). AVT KAI TPAI A∆PIA CЄB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Helmeted half-length nude bust left of Mars (Ares), seen from behind, wearing crested Corinthian helmet; L • ∆EKA TOV (date) around. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 1271 (this coin); K&G 32.353; RPC III 5568/1 (this coin, illustrated on pl. 274); Emmett 810.10 (R5); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 57 (this coin); Staffieri, “Sulla Testimonianza di un Ares Policleteo Nella Monetazione Imperiale Alessandrina” (NACQT Vol. XXII, Lugano, 1993), pp. 187-199, Fig. 1 (rev. of this coin illustrated). Good VF, toned. Wonderful metal quality. Extremely rare, possibly unique, as both RPC and Emmett cite only this specimen.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Münz Zentrum 29 (27 April 1977), lot 126; Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 1271.

In the aforementioned article by Giovanni, he compares the reverse of this coin to the statue found at Hadrian’s villa (Fig. 7 in his article).