Classical Numismatic Group > Auction 126Auction date: 28 May 2024
Lot number: 517

Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot
Show similar lots on CoinArchives

Find similar lots in upcoming
auctions on
  NumisBids.com
Lot description:


EGYPT, Antinoöpolis. 2nd-3rd centuries AD. PB Tessera (19.5mm, 4.67 g, 12h). Dated RY 2 of Antoninus Pius (?) (AD 138/9). Confronted busts of Antinous, draped and wearing hem-hem crown, and Isis, draped and wearing headdress; L B (date) flanking / Nilus reclining left on hippopatumus, holding cornucopia and reeds. Wilding 1; Milne –; Dattari (Savio) –; Köln 3567-8 corr. (Isis on obverse, not Horus). Gray patina. Good VF. Rare. The finest of its type in CoinArchives.

Ex Leu Numismatik AG 4 (25 May 2019), lot 534 (hammer 1900 CHF).

Denise Wilding provides the first comprehensive examination of the lead tokens of Antinoüs, cataloging a number of otherwise unpublished types. Noting that they appear most often with the years 2, 4, 6, and 8, she suggests that the pieces were a continuation of the bronze coinage in the name of Antinoüs issued under Hadrian in years 19 and 21, with the lead pieces bearing regnal dates of Antoninus Pius. The tokens were likely issued in connection with biennial festivities of the cult of Antinoüs. For more information, see: Wilding, Denise. "Tokens of Antinous from the Province of Roman Egypt," in Tokens: Culture, Connections, Communities. (London: Royal Numismatic Society, 2019).

Estimate: 500 USD