Extremely Rare Julia Mamaea Drachm Depicting Athena Parthenos

Triton XXI, Lot: 209. Estimate $3000. Sold for $2500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Julia Mamaea. Augusta, AD 222-235. Æ Drachm (34mm, 22.89 g, 12h). Dated RY 10 of Severus Alexander (AD 230/231). IOY • MAMЄA CЄB • MHT • CЄB K CTPA, draped bust right, wearing stephane / Helmeted and draped bust of Athena Parthenos right; L I (date) behind, palm frond before. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 4544 (this coin); K&G 64.40; Emmett 3240.10 (R5 – citing this coin); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 210 (this coin). Good VF, attractive dark brown and tan surfaces, slight obverse die shift, holed in antiquity – which does not affect any significant part of the design. Extremely rare, with only two specimens known: this coin and an example in the Historisches Museum Frankfurt am Main (Förschner 879). An exceptional artistic rendering of Athena Parthenos // Lot also includes an Athens “New Style” AR Tetradrachm (34mm, 16.85 g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena Parthenos right / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; magistrates’ names in fields; trident to right; EY below; all within wreath. Thompson 126a; Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 211 (this coin). VF, toned.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Kunst und Münzen AG XXII (2 April 1981), lot 380; Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 4544 // For Athens Tetradrachm: Ex Bonhams/V.C. Vecchi & Sons 7 (29 March 1982), lot 144.

An extremely rare coin that also depicts a wonderful and artistic Athena Parthenos on its reverse, which Giovanni compares to the “New Style” silver tetradrachms from Athens. For comparison purposes, Giovanni collected an example of a “New Style” tetradrachm, which is included in this lot.