Triton XXI, Lot: 117. Estimate $3000. Sold for $2250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 25.56 g, 12h). Dated RY 4 (AD 140/141). AV[T] K T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNINOC CЄB ЄVC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Helmeted half-length nude bust right of Ares (Mars), seen from behind, wearing crested Corinthian helmet and balteus (sword belt); L ∆ (date) to right. Köln 1335 (same dies); Dattari (Savio) 8306 (this coin); K&G 35.72; Emmett 1458.4 (R4); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 116 (this coin); Staffieri, “Sulla Testimonianza di un Ares Policleteo Nella Monetazione Imperiale Alessandrina” (NACQT Vol. XXII, Lugano, 1993), pp. 187-199, Fig. 2 (rev. of this coin illustrated). VF, dark brown surfaces with touches of green, flan crack, spot of corrosion behind Pius’ neck, some minor smoothing on the reverse. Extremely rare, a type issued by Pius only during his fourth regnal year.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection, purchased from Renzo Canavesi, Sagno, 1996. Ex Renzo Canavesi Collection (Sagno); Giuseppe Nascia Collection (Milan); Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 8306.

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).