Triton XXI, Lot: 269. Estimate $1000. Sold for $600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Hemidrachm (31mm, 15.45 g, 12h). Dated RY 4 (AD 140/141). AVT K T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNINOC Є VCЄB, radiate head right / Demeter standing facing, head left, holding two grain ears with her right hand and a long torch with her left; L Δ (date) across field. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 2507 & 8374; K&G 35.99; Emmett 1715.4 (R2); Curtis, “The Coinage of Roman Egypt: A Survey” (reprinted from The Numismatist, January-August 1956), Pl. XV (this coin’s reverse illustrated); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 257 (this coin); Staffieri, “La ‘corona radiata’ sui ritratti dei bronzi imperiali alessandrini con catalogo regionata” (NACQT Vol. XLII, Lugano, 2013), pp. 121-144, 37e (this coin). Good VF, thick green patina with areas of reddish brown. Rare, and exceptional for the issue. Only two other examples, both with a radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust, have appeared at auction since 2000.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex West Coast/Lloyd Beauchaine Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 41, 19 March 1997), lot 1175 (further pedigree given to Münzen und Medaillen AG XI is erroneous); Col. James W. Curtis Collection.