Roman Egypt, Emperor Galba Tetradrachm - c. 68 to 69 CE - Alexandria, Egypt - 7/26/23 Auction

This Egyptian tetradrachm was minted in Alexandria, and issued in the name of the ruling Roman emperor. They are made of a material known as billon, a combination of silver and copper. While the obverse side typically has a portrait of the emperor, the reverse side of these coins vary, depicting over 150 variants of royals, Egyptian deities, and other figures.Tetradrachms, the most significant coin in Egypt from the Roman conquest in 30 BCE to Diocletian's monetary reform in 301 CE, were silver in name but increasingly debased over time, with the silver content dropping from about 50% in 21 CE to less than 1% in 296 CE. The production of these coins fluctuated over time, with periods of intense minting activity followed by years of minimal output. These coins often formed the bulk of hoards, collections of valuable items typically buried for safekeeping, providing insights into their circulation and the activity of the mint.Roman Egypt, a subdivision of the Roman Empire, was establishe