151 NGC Ch VF Marcus Aurelius Caesar Egypt Alexandria Rare Tetradrachm Isis Tyche (20011804C)
Choice Very Fine dated Roman Egypt Alexandria Marcus Aurelius billon tetradrachm issued while Caesar under Emperor Antoninus Pius.
Minted in the 15th Alexandrian year of Emperor Antoninus Pius = 151/152 CE.
Date is denoted by L I E (epsilon) on reverse.
Obverse: Youthful draped bust of Marcus Aurelius with beard right .
Reverse: Isis-Tyche standing facing right holding statue and rudder. A very rare reverse type only used during year 15 for Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius & Faustina Jr.
Emmett 1852/15 rated as R4 (R5 highest rarity), 13.15g.
Certified by NGC to Ch VF.
Silvered surfaces.
Like Tyche, Fortuna was often said to be blind. And, in fact, it may have been precisely because of this that Isis became so strongly tied to both Tyche and Fortuna. The Goddess Isis was well known to be the very opposite of blind. She is specifically a Goddess Who sees and understands the needs of Her worshippers. By invoking not just blind Tyche or blind Fortuna, but Isis Tyche and Isis Fortuna, one was invoking a seeing Fate—a more auspicious Fate steered by a skillful Mistress of the Rudder, the wise and kindly Goddess Isis.
