ANTONINUS PIUS
AD 138-161
AE Drachm. 23.3g, 33.4mm
MINTED: EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 10 (AD 146/7)
REF: Emmett 1699.10; Dattari 2933; RPC Online 13589
OBVERSE: Laureate head right.REVERSE: Zeus, holding patera and scepter, reclining left on eagle standing left with wings spread; [L DEK]ATOV around.
Provenance:Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago (1982.1995)
An affordable coin with a rare museum pedigree, sold with its original catalogue tag indicating the accession number used when it was placed in the museum's collection.
Notes:
Dark black patina with minor roughness and heavy circulation wear. These drachms, like the Roman sestertii of the 1st and 2nd centuries, were the workhorses of their respective market economies, and as such, some would get circulated frequently for decades or even centuries, enduring so much handling that their designs would eventually get largely worn away.
Historical Notes:
Egypt supplied as much as half of Rome’s annual grain supply, and was as such a hugely important province. Its economic and cultural heart was Alexandria, the second largest city in the Empire with a population of more than half a million during the time of Augustus. The coins of Roman Egypt were heavily used in daily commerce, and most often found in extremely worn condition. They are nevertheless highly collectible and interesting, sometimes featuring unique Egyptian-themed reverses and deities.
ANTONINUS PIUS . EGYPT, Alexandria . AE Drachm . *Ex Art Institute of Chicago*
MINOTAUR COINS offers a Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee on all coins purchased. Any coin determined to be inauthentic can be returned unconditionally and at any time for a full refund.
Delivery by Registered Mail within Singapore is FREE for orders $50 and above. Shipping fees apply only for orders under $50 and for all international orders.