Ancient Coins, Artefacts and Numismatic Books

Roman Provincial Coinage, Trajan (98-117), Egypt, Alexandria, Æ Drachm, year 13 [109/10], laureate bust right, rev. Nilus seated left on rock, between vase on tripod and Horus; to right, nilometre, 22.41g/12h (Dattari 960, this coin; Emmett 554). Fine to very fine, good brown tone, apparently UNIQUE £900-1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Stephen Alexander Collection of Ancient Coins.

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Nilometre in this case is a flight of stairs leading down into the water, with depth markings along the walls. This ancient means of measuring the water level of the Nile during the annual flood season between June and September lasted until the construction of the Aswan dams