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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Greek Imperial| ▸ |Egypt||View Options:  |  |  | 

Roman Provincial Coins from Egypt

From Augustus' conquest until Diocletian's monetary reforms, Egypt maintained a separate currency. Hoard evidence indicates that when crossing into Egypt all imperial coinage had to be exchanged for Egyptian and when leaving all Egyptian coinage had to be exchanged for imperial coinage. Coins are dated according to the Egyptian year which began on 29 August, or 30 August following a leap year. The Egyptian tetradrachm was officially valued at one denarius.

Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt

|Roman| |Egypt|, |Augustus,| |16| |January| |27| |B.C.| |-| |19| |August| |14| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Provincial| |Egypt||diobol|
Alexandria (31°13'N, 29°55'E), was founded on the site of a fishing village at the mouth of the Nile in Egypt by Alexander the Great in 331 BC and after his death in 323 BC it was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty until Octavian seized it for Rome in 30 BC. Famous as an intellectual and trading center, it was the second largest city in the Roman Empire with a population of 500,000 at the time of Christ. It had long struck coins for Egyptian circulation, and briefly struck Imperial denarii (192-194) before Diocletian in 294 commenced normal imperial issues, continuing until 421 (and briefly under Leo I 457-474).
RX113651. Bronze diobol, RPC Online I 5013; Dattari-Savio pl. 1, 16; Geissen 9; BMC Alexandria p. 3, 18; Emmett 27; Kampmann-Ganschow 2.9, F, rough, weight 6.919 g, maximum diameter 22.1 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria (Egypt) mint, 3 - 2 B.C.; obverse garlanded altar between two laurel branches, ΣEBAΣTOY below; reverse KAIΣA/POΣ in two lines within laurel wreath; ex Stacks & Bowers auction Aug 2023, lot 53235 (part of); ex Naville Numismatics auction 51 (21 Jul 2019), lot 236; $180.00 (€169.20)
 


Antoninus Pius, August 138 - 7 March 161 A.D., Roman Egypt

|Roman| |Egypt|, |Antoninus| |Pius,| |August| |138| |-| |7| |March| |161| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Egypt||drachm|
"ALEXANDRIA (31°13'N, 29°55'E), was founded on the site of a fishing village at the mouth of the Nile in Egypt by Alexander the Great in 331 BC and after his death in 323 BC it was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty until Octavian seized it for Rome in 30 BC. Famous as an intellectual and trading center, it was the second largest city in the Roman Empire with a population of 500,000 at the time of Christ. It had long struck coins for Egyptian circulation, and briefly struck Imperial denarii (192-194) before Diocletian in 294 commenced normal imperial issues, continuing until 421 (and briefly under Leo I 457-474)." - from Moneta Historical Research by Tom Schroer
RX111023. Bronze drachm, RPC Online 13749/36 (this coin); Dattari-Savio 8855; Geissen 1672; SNG Milan 1299; BMC Alexandria p. 143, 1201; Emmett 1449, aVF, well centered, some corrosion/pitting, edge splits, obv. edge beveled, weight 27.079 g, maximum diameter 34.4 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 151 - 152 A.D.; obverse AVT K T AIΛ AΔP ANTWNINOC CEB EVC, laureate bust right, with aegis on far shoulder; reverse Peristyle altar of Agathodaemon, with four columns and garlanded entablature, female figure sacrificing within, burning pyre and acroteria in form of aphlasta above; L in exergue, I-E (year 15) across fields; ex Naville Numismatics 40 (27 May 2018), lot 298; ex Roma Numismatics e-auction 41 (2 Dec 2017), lot 491; $125.00 (€117.50)
 


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Berenike II, 244 - 221 B.C., Wife of Ptolemy III

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Berenike| |II,| |244| |-| |221| |B.C.,| |Wife| |of| |Ptolemy| |III||tritartemorion|NEW
This type has traditionally been attributed to Ake Ptolemais, Galilee (Acre, Israel). R. Poole attributed them to Cyprus and they have been found there, but C. Lorber notes they were found in numbers in the Ras Ibn Hani Excavations, on the North Syrian coast. This site had easy access to Cyrus. She also finds Seleukid influence in the skilled epigraphy and reverse legend arrangement. She thus attributes the type to an uncertain North Syrian mint.
GP114718. Bronze tritartemorion, Lorber CPE B460; Svoronos 1055; SNG Cop 460; Weiser 84; Noeske -, aVF, porous/rough, legends weak, light earthen deposits, obv. edge beveled, weight 6.387 g, maximum diameter 21.0 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain North Syrian mint, 244 - 221 B.C.; obverse BEPENIKHΣ downward on left, BAΣIΛIΣΣHΣ (clockwise), diademed and draped bust of Queen Berenike II right; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ (clockwise), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings closed, head left; $100.00 (€94.00)
 


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt

|Roman| |Egypt|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Provincial| |Egypt||dichalkon|
The North African elephant (Loxodonta africana pharaohensis) is an extinct subspecies of the African bush elephant, or possibly a separate elephant species, that existed in North Africa, north of the Sahara, until it died out in Roman times. These were the famous war elephants used by Carthage in the Punic Wars, their conflict with the Roman Republic. Although the subspecies has been formally described, it has not been widely recognized by taxonomists. Other names for this animal include the North African forest elephant, Carthaginian elephant, and Atlas elephant. Originally, its range probably extended across North Africa and down to the present Sudanese and Eritrean coasts.
RX111825. Bronze dichalkon, Geissen 460, Dattari 1203, Kampmann 27.51, SNG BnF IV 1036, Emmett 701.7, F, dark green and brown patina, cleaning marks, weight 1.392 g, maximum diameter 13.0 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 103 - 28 Aug 104 A.D.; obverse no legend, laureate head right; reverse elephant walking right, L Z (year 7) above; ex Classical Numismatic Group e-sale 481 (02 Dec 2020), lot 346; ex Judy Day Frink Collection; $80.00 (€75.20)
 


Diocletian, 20 November 284 - 1 May 305 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt

|Roman| |Egypt|, |Diocletian,| |20| |November| |284| |-| |1| |May| |305| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Provincial| |Egypt||tetradrachm|NEW
Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice, and skill. Her usual attribute is the owl and Nike is her frequent companion.
RX114200. Billon tetradrachm, RPC Online X U75951 (27 spec.), Dattari-Savio 5626, Emmett 4030; Geissen 3225, Milne 4811, Curtis 1961, SNG Cop 981, BMC Alexandria 2481, aVF, tight, ragged flan with superficial cracking, weight 7.550 g, maximum diameter 19.0 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 286 - 28 Aug 287 A.D.; obverse A K Γ OYA ΔIOKΛHTIANOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; reverse Athena standing slightly right, head left, spear in right hand, resting left hand on grounded shield, LΓ (year 3) in left field; ex Priapus Numismatics e-auction 1 (5 Nov 2023), lot 651; scarce; $80.00 (€75.20)
 


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy VIII Euergetes, 150 - 116 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |VIII| |Euergetes,| |150| |-| |116| |B.C.||AE| |15|NEW
Alexander the Great received tribute from the cities of Kyrenaica after he took Egypt. Kyrenaica was annexed by Ptolemy I Soter. It briefly gained independence under Magas of Cyrene, stepson of Ptolemy I, but was reabsorbed into the Ptolemaic empire after his death. It was separated from the main kingdom by Ptolemy VIII and given to his son Ptolemy Apion, who, dying without heirs in 96 B.C., bequeathed it to the Roman Republic.
GP114706. Bronze AE 15, Svoronos 1655, Noeske 291, SNG Cop 658, SNG Milan 402, Malter 247, Weiser -, VF, dark patina, highlighting earthen deposits, obv edge beveled, weight 2.539 g, maximum diameter 14.9 mm, die axis 0o, Kyrene (near Shahhat, Libya) mint, 150 - 116 B.C.; obverse diademed and horned head of Zeus Ammon right; reverse EYEPΓETOY ΠTOΛEMAIOY, eagle standing left, wings open, grasping fulmen (thunderbolt) in talons; $60.00 (€56.40)
 


Roman Egypt, Antinoopolites Nome, Portrait of Antinous, c. 130 - 153 A.D.

|Egypt|, |Roman| |Egypt,| |Antinoopolites| |Nome,| |Portrait| |of| |Antinous,| |c.| |130| |-| |153| |A.D.||tessera|
Antinous probably joined Hadrian's entourage when it passed through Bithynia about 124 A.D. He became Hadrian's constant companion and lover. In October 130 Antinous drowned in the Nile. Hadrian's grief knew no bounds; he enrolled him among the gods, erected a temple, and on 30 October 130, Hadrian founded the city of Antinoopolis on the very bank of the Nile river where Antinous drowned. It was the capital of a new nome, Antinoopolites. Perhaps the date is from the founding of Antinoopolis. There began a Cult of Antinous. Artists vied with each other in immortalizing his beauty. Temples and statues dedicated to him were erected all over the Empire.
RX97546. Lead tessera, apparently unpublished, Dattari-Savio -, Geissen -, Milne -, Emmett -, Blum -, SNG Cop -, SNG Milan -, gF, gray-brown patina with highlighting earthen deposits, reverse off center, weight 4.994 g, maximum diameter 23.8 mm, die axis 180o, Antinoopolis(?) mint, c. 130 - 153 A.D.; obverse draped bust of Antinous right, wearing hem-hem crown of Harpocrates, large crescent before with horns left; reverse Nilus reclining right on sphinx, reed in his left hand curling up behind his shoulder and head, cornucopia before him in left hand; Euthenia on right, standing left, crowning Nilus with a wreath; ex Classical Numismatic Group e-auction 476 (9 Sep 2020), lot 287; ex BLS Collection; extremely rare, perhaps unique, this is the only specimen of this type known to FORVM; SOLD


Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt

|Egypt|, |Nero,| |13| |October| |54| |-| |9| |June| |68| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Provincial| |Egypt||obol|
In 62 A.D., Lucan wrote a history of the conflict between Julius Caesar and Pompey.
RX86146. Bronze obol, RPC I 5263; Dattari 278/279; Geissen 149; BMC Alexandria 179/180; Milne 207; Kampmann-Ganschow 14.67, F, old scratch on obverse, reverse rough, edge cracks, weight 5.661 g, maximum diameter 20.5 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 61 - 28 Aug 62 A.D.; obverse NER KLAY KAI CEB GEP, laureate head right; reverse AYTO KPAT, Roma standing half left, patera in right hand, shield and spear in left hand, LH (year 8) lower left; rare; SOLD


Philip II, July or August 247 - Late 249 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt

|Egypt|, |Philip| |II,| |July| |or| |August| |247| |-| |Late| |249| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Provincial| |Egypt||tetradrachm|
In 244, when Philip I the Arab was proclaimed Augustus, he made his son Philippus, age 6, Caesar and heir to the throne. Typical of Roman propaganda, the boy caesar appears much older on this coin.
RX62942. Billon tetradrachm, Geissen 2782, Dattari 5049, Milne 857, Curtis 1392, Kampmann-Ganschow 76.1, Emmett 3587, SNG Cop -, gVF, well centered, weight 13.542 g, maximum diameter 24.0 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, as caesar, 29 Aug 244 - 28 Aug 245; obverse M IOY ΦIΛIΠΠOC K CEB, bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse eagle standing left, wings closed, head turned back right, wreath in beak, L - B (year 2 of Philip I) across field; SOLD


Volusian, c. November 251 - July or August 253 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt

|Volusian|, |Volusian,| |c.| |November| |251| |-| |July| |or| |August| |253| |A.D.,| |Roman| |Provincial| |Egypt||tetradrachm|
In 252, the Persian Emperor Shapur I invaded Armenia and, taken by surprise, destroyed a large Roman army at Barbalissos. He then invaded the defenceless Syrian provinces, captured all of its legionary posts and ravaged its cities, including Antioch, without any response. In 253, Uranius Antoninus (a priest and descendant of the royal house of Emesa) confronted Sapor and forced him to retreat. Uranius Antoninus also, however, proclaimed himself emperor.
SH54364. Billon tetradrachm, Dattari 5124, Milne 3843, Curtis 1474, Emmett 3680, Choice VF, weight 11.688 g, maximum diameter 24.5 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 252 - 253 A.D.; obverse ANT K Γ ANTΦ ΓAΛ B BOΛOYCIANOC EVC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse laureate bust of Asklepios right, himation on left shoulder, serpent staff before, LΓ (year 3) behind; very rare; SOLD







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