2021-05-11 Tue

The above coin is a Roman Provincial bronze 80 drachma coin issued in the Roman territory of Egypt at Alexandria mint.

Perhaps the most challenging area of ancient numismatics is Roman provincials – coins struck for local use by authorities in the provinces of the Roman Empire. There is such tremendous variety in issuers, denominations, and types that their study becomes challenging and next to impossible.

This coin helps to explore the coinage of Roman Egypt, which from 30 B.C. to A.D. 298 was struck at the mint of Alexandria. This coin is the first issue of coinage from Roman Egypt. This Roman Coin is a bronze 80-drachma of the Roman warlord Octavian, who wrested Egypt from its last Greek ruler, Queen Cleopatra VII.

The coin depicts on the obverse, the well-sculpted portrait of King Octavian with an eagle on a thunderbolt on the reverse a design borrowed from earlier Greek coinages of Egypt.

Image Courtesy: ngccoin.com