The Dattari collection represents one of the most significant assemblages of Greco-Roman Egyptian coinage ever formed, compiled by Giovanni Dattari (1858-1923) in Alexandria during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dattari, devoted decades to acquiring this extraordinary collection, and focused primarily on Roman provincial coins from Egypt, spanning from the Ptolemaic through to the Roman and Byzantine eras. His collection eventually grew to include thousands of coins, making it one of the most comprehensive resources for studying the coinage of Roman Egypt.

After Dattari's death in 1923, his collection faced an uncertain future, but his legacy was preserved through the publication of his catalogue, "Numi Augg. Alexandrini," which had been prepared before his death and remains the essential reference work for scholars of Alexandrian coinage today. The physical collection itself was eventually dispersed, with portions being acquired by various institutions and private collectors. The Egyptian government acquired a significant portion for the National Museum in Cairo, while other pieces entered museums and collections throughout Europe and beyond. Despite its dispersal, the Dattari collection's impact on numismatic scholarship has endured, as his meticulous cataloguing work provides researchers with an invaluable tool for identifying and studying the complex coinages of Greco-Roman Egypt.