Egypt. Alexandria. Trajan, 98-117. Drachm (Bronze, 32.00 mm, 17.43 g). Dated L I Γ= year 13 (109 / 110 AD) ΑΥΤ KAI TPAIAN CEB ΓEP ΔAKIK Laureate and draped bust of Trajan right. Rev. Anepigraph. Isis-Demeter-Sothis, holding a torch in her right hand, is sitting on the right side on the back of a majestic dog that runs leaping towards the right, turning its head to the left; the goddess wears a chiton, peplos and basileion on her head; below and behind the dog you can see some clouds (?). In the field, at sides the date L I Γ. Vogt I, pp.116-120. Vogt II, p. 30. Dattari 929, this specimen illustrated at plate XXVII. RPC III 4408.2.3 this specimen. Emmett 533. Staffieri, G. M., Isis-Demetra-Sothis nella monetazione alessandrina, in “Annotazioni numismatiche” N. 30, pp. 693-697, Milano, 1998. Staffieri, G. M., Alexandria in Nummis, pp. 293-294, Muzzano 2017. Very Fine, the best possible for this coin's type.

Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection 929, il Cairo. Ex Naville Numismatics 40, 27.05.2018, lot 365.

It is the best preserved and legible drachm of the three known (see RPC III 4408.1.1/3) where on the rare reverse, it is shown the scene which interprets, in Egyptian theology, the astronomical-astrological association of Isis-Demeter in the star Sothis (the Roman Sirius), the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation, which justifies the depiction of the oversized dog on the coin, while the sidereal and non-earthly dimension of the scene is underlined by the unusual presence of the clouds behind and under the Canis Major. For further information on reverse meaning and iconography, please refer to above mentioned Giovanni Maria Staffieri texts.