EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Drachm (35mm, 18.28 g, 12h). Dated RY 5 (AD 120/1). Near EF.

Triton XXIX
Lot: 552. Estimated: $ 1 500

The Beniak Collection of Alexandrian Coinage, Bronze, Coin-in-Hand Video

Sold For $ 7 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Drachm (35mm, 18.28 g, 12h). Dated RY 5 (AD 120/1). AVT KAI TPAI AΔPIA C[ЄB], laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder / Radiate and draped bust of Serapis-Pantheos right, wearing kalathos and hem-hem crown with horn of Ammon; dolphin-entwined trident over right shoulder, cornucopia to right; L Є (date) across field. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G –; RPC III 5284; Emmett 1049.5 (R5 – year unrecorded). Dark green patina, peripheral lamination flaw, minor smoothing. Near EF. Exceptional and artistic reverse. Extremely rare, only two recorded in RPC, neither of this quality.

From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection, purchased from Frank L. Kovacs, April 2000. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 15 (18 May 1999), lot 351.

The god Serapis was a syncretistic Hellenistic-Egyptian god whose worship combined Greek and Egyptian religious beliefs. The name itself is formed by a combination of the Egyptian god of the Underworld, Osiris (Ausar), with Apis (Hapi), a manifestation of the regenerative god Ptah. As the chief god of the new Ptolemaic dynasty, Serapis soon became the subject of the chief royal cult. The belief in an afterlife made it one of the more popular mystery cults, and portraits of the god are known throughout the empire. In Alexandria a large temple complex, the Serapeum, was constructed, and continued to operate until it was destroyed by an angry Christian mob in the late 4th century AD.

The final winners of all Triton XXIX lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 13-14 January 2026.

Triton XXIX – Session Two – Lot 302-613 will be held Tuesday afternoon, 13 January 2026 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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