Egypt. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138. Obol (Bronze, 18.50 mm, 5.05 g) Dated RY 11 (= 126-127) ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹΕΒ Laureate bust of Hadrian right, slightly draped on the left shoulder. Rev. APCI vertical to left (Arsinoite, name of Upper Egypt). Head of Premarres (Amenemhet III) right, wearing nemes with uraeus, L IA (date) vertical to right. RPC III, 6296. Dattari 6210. Geissen 3381/82. BMC 72/73. Emmett 122. Geissen-Weber p.194-5, n 2b, plate XI, 104. Extremely fine.

Ex Numismatica Aretusa, lugano, (Franco Chiesa), September 1992.

Obol of excellent conservation struck in the year 11 of Hadrian (126-127 AD) for the nome Arsinoite of the Upper Egypt. Fine laureate head of the emperor on the obverse. On the reverse at right is the worshipful head of Pharaoh Amenemhet III (1846-1801 BC) of the XII Egyptian dynasty with Nemet on head and Ureus snake peeping out. This Pharaonic subject, a real exception in the Alexandrian coinage, refers to the draining works of the vast Fajum oasis, belonging to the land of nome Arsinoite, carried out in the time of the 12th dynasty and in particular during the reign of Pharaoh Amenemhet III, whose memory is still honoured on the coin after almost two millennia.