EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (29.5mm, 15.19 g, 12h). Dated RY 24 (AD 160/1). Near VF.

Triton XXIX – Session 5
Lot: 5644. Estimated: $ 1 000

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 2 750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (29.5mm, 15.19 g, 12h). Dated RY 24 (AD 160/1). Laureate and draped bust right, seen from the front / Perseus and Andromeda – Perseus advancing right, wearing Phrygian cap and chlamys, holding a harpa over left shoulder and extending his right hand to Andromeda, who is stepping down from rocks, extending her hands to Perseus; below, the sea-monster Cetus; ∆/L K (date) in field. Köln 1856 var. (date arrangement); Dattari (Savio) 2991; K&G 35.828; RPC IV.4 2189; Emmett 1637.24. Brown surfaces, minor die flaws and deposits. Near VF. Emmett lists the type for regnal years 20 and 24 of Antoninus Pius, but his reference for RY 20 is Dattari 2990, which, in the Dattar-Savio plates the ∆ (K∆ = 24) is visible, hence this is a one-year type only.

Perseus, the slayer of Medusa, was returning from this task, when he caught sight of a naked woman chained to a sea-cliff, and instantly fell in love with her. This was the princess Andromeda, daughter of King Kepheus of Joppa and Kassiopeia. Kassiopeia had boasted that both she and Andromeda were more beautiful than the Nereids, who then complained about this insult to their protector, Poseidon. Poseidon sent a flood and a female sea-monster to devastate Philistia (Palestine) – the home of Kassiopeia and Andromeda.

When the king consulted an oracle, he was told that his only hope was to sacrifice Andromeda to the sea-monster. This was Andromeda’s predictament when Perseus happened upon her. Perseus killed the sea-monster and took Andromeda as his wife, but only after using Medusa’s head to turn Kassiopeia and Kepheus to stone after they broke their bargain with him for saving their daughter. The coin type depicts Perseus helping Andromeda down from the sea-cliff.

Closing Date and Time: 21 January 2026 at 13:34:20 ET.



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