Ex Dattari Collection

436, Lot: 390. Estimate $500. Sold for $850. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (34mm, 20.73 g, 12h). Dated RY 14 (AD 150/1). AVT K [T] AIΛIΛ (sic) A∆P ANTωNINOC CЄ B ЄVC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left / Eirene standing facing. head left, holding two grain ears and caduceus; L I-∆ (date) across field. Köln 1657 var. (placement of date); K&G 35.510; Emmett 1500.14; Dattari (Savio) 8402 = Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 123 (this coin). Good VF, dark brown patina. A rare type only issued by Pius for three regnal years (2, 14, and 15).

Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection (Triton XXI, 9 January 2018), lot 136; Kunst und Münzen AG FPL 55 (December 1984), lot 388; Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 8402.

On the reverse of this lovely drachm, we have a syncretic image of Eirene (Pax or Peace), where she is given the grain ears of Euthenia. It is also interesting to note the celator’s error in the obverse legend, where the letters IΛ are repeated.