Triton XXI, Lot: 83. Estimate $2000. Sold for $1200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Drachm (36mm, 26.79 g, 12h). Dated RY 19 (AD 134/135). AVT KAIC TPAIAN A∆PIANOC CЄB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Isis-Euthenia enthroned left, wearing headdress of Isis, chiton, and peplos, holding two grain ears with her extended right hand and a short scepter with her left along with a fold of her peplos; L Є NN ЄAKΔ (date) around. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 7656 (this coin); K&G –; RPC III 5979/3 (this coin, illustrated on pl. 298); Emmett 993.19 (R5); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 76 (this coin). Good VF, dark brown patina with patches of green, some minor roughness. Extremely rare. The authors of RPC cite four specimens: this coin, the Pudill collection, one in the American Numismatic Society collection, and one in the Demetrio collection. Emmett adds another in Mionnet (no. 1257), which Mionnet listed as being in the collection of M. Tôchon in Paris. The Tôchon coin could be either the present coin, which is ex Dattari, or the Pudill specimen.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex UBS 56 (28 January 2003), lot 264; UBS 55 (16 September 2002), lot 1932; Leu Numismatik 71 (24 October 1997), lot 379; Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 7656.

Although there appears to be some confusion over the identity of the deity on the reverse of this extremely rare coin, we agree with Giovanni that it is Isis-Euthenia. The authors of RPC describe the figure as Demeter(?), based on a perceived veil, but this “veil” is most likely the result of a slight die shift or the coin even being overstruck.