Hadrian embarks on his travels

Continuing my quest for Hadrian’s travel series, this sestertius is the first of two travel series coins that I acquired in the recent NAC auction. While the obverse strike is a bit flat and exhibits signs of wear, Hadrian’s portrait is up to his coinage’s usual high standards.

It’s the reverse on this coin that recommends it: Hadrian starting out on his travels. The oars and rowers are clearly visible, as is the steersman. The coin's patina is darker in hand, but the lighter picture shows the details better.



HADRIAN 117 - 138 A.D.
AE Sestertius (23.62 g.) Rome ca. 132 - 134 A.D. RIC 706
HADRIANVS - AVGVSTVS Laureate and cuirassed bust r., with drape on on l. shoulder. Rev. FELICITATI / AVG / S - C Galley moving l. with sail steers and [six] (correction: actually, five) rowers; standard and vexillum at stern. Below, COS III P P

Let's see Hadrian travel coins and coins with galleys!

 

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Wonderful coin @IdesOfMarch01 The portrait is very nice but that reverse is superb. congrats on adding yet another beauty to that amazing collection of yours.

 

There are 5 rowers not 6.

 

Infact the galley is going to the left meaning the emperor is on its way back to Rome. Great coin, congrats

Here are a few of my Hadrian galleys:

 

I've never seen such detail on the oarsmen! Another remarkable and carefully selected marvel for your outstanding collection

I have only the two most common of his travel series denarii:

Africa

HADRIAN. CE 117-138
AR Denarius. 18 mm, 3.53 gm. struck CE 134-138, Rome
Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate head right
Rev: AFRICA, Africa with elephant skin headdress, reclining on rock, holding scorpion and cornucopia, basket of fruit before her
Ref: RIC II 299

Egypt

HADRIAN
AR Denarius. 18 mm, 2.95 gm. struck CE 134-138, Rome
Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right
Rev: AEGYPTOS; Aegyptos reclining left holding sistrum; ibis standing right at feet
Ref: RIC II 297

My best galley and a favorite coin:


PHOENICIA, Tyre. Julia Maesa
CE 218-224/5
AE 27, 12.71g (11h)
Obv: IVLIA MAE - SA AV[G] Draped bust right, wearing stephane
Rev: TVRIORVM Dido (?) standing left on deck of galley sailing right, extending right hand and holding cornucopia in left; to left, helmsman bending left over rudder (?); to right, sailor extending right hand and holding curved staff in left; stern decorated with a shield and aphlaston, [two murex shells] in exergue
Ref: CNG e320, 12 Feb. 2014, lot 323 (same dies). Rouvier 2408

 

A most impressive specimen you have here IOM.

I'm a bit challenged, galleywise : I have none for Hadrian.

The more I can do is showing, again, my Marcus Antonius and throwing in a Postumus double sestertius fading away in the fog (probably shot in the north sea or the british channel)





Q

 

Galleys:


RI Allectus 293-296 AE Quinarius London Virtus Galley AE17 2.3g S 13870 RIC 55


RR AE Quadrans 18mm 3.6g Rome 206-195 BC Hercules R wearing lions skin pellet behind - ROMA Prow of galley right 3 pellets Cr339-4a; Syd679c


RImp Marc Antony Legio XVI AR Den 18mm 3.4g Mil mint 32-31 BCE Praetorian Galley Aquila 2 Stds Cr 544-31 RSC 48


RImp Marc Antony 32-31 BCE AR Legio X Equestris - Caesar Denarius B bankers mark Eagle Galley Standards



RR C Curiatius f Trigeminus 135 BCE Æ quadrans 18 mm 4.8g Rome Hd Hercules lionskin 3 plts - CCVR F ROMA prow Victory wreath 3 plts Cr 240-4a; Syd460b

 

Yes, clearly only five not six. Should have corrected the NAC information.

Also, apparently I misunderstood which galley direction meant leaving vs. returning. Guess I'll have to get both types of coins...

 

Fantastic coin IdesOfMarch01, with great surfaces and detail, congrats. My sestertius.

 

What TIF said... I love the detail on the oarsmen! A truly awe-inspiring coin, Ides.

My galley of Hadrian, on an as, going the other way...

 

Don’t have this one on hand yet but from my research it’s classified as a travel series coin.




Probably got a better deal because of the way it was listed:

“ROMAN IMPERIAL: HARDIAN, GALILAE 117-138A.D. AR DENARIUS- EXTRA FINE !! ”

Hadrian. AD 117-138. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.46 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 134-138. Laureate head right / RESTITV TORI GALLIAE, Hadrian standing right, holding volumen and raising kneeling Gallia. RIC II 324; RSC 1247.

 

Amazing pickup! Love these travel series coins...sadly I've found them outside my budget. I will post a couple galleys though:


This was not purchased for the galley...


Well...it's a galley prow anyway...

 

@H8_modern: Looks like Hadrian really did some travelling. That's a space alien kneeling isn't it?

 

Maybe, but I can’t tell if it’s X-files or Star Wars

 

Hadrian looks like their alien leader on that reverse!

 

Hadrian Denarius 125-28 AD Galley Eastern Mint

 

Hadrian Sestertius Roma 132-34 AD Galley left

 

great example you have here

 

Hadrian Denarius Roma, 134-38 AD Galley left

 

For whatever reason, Hadrians FELICITATI AVG Sestertius issue displays what must be one of the largest number of varieties of all the roman coinage.

Alberto Banti (I Grandi Bronzi Imperiali, Vol. II.2 "Hadrianus & Sabina") alone lists and illustrates 53 (!) varieties (Banti Hadrian 337-389) for the Galley Sestertius.

Of those 53 varieties, only 11 show the galley going to the right. If Andres2 is correct, this must mean that it was mostly the happy return from a voyage that was celebrated on the coinage and less frequently the departure.

Hill (The Undated Coins of Rome, A.D. 98-148, p. 164) however dates the whole issue to AD 131, on the occasion of the return of Hadrian to Rome at the end of his second great journey (AD 128-31).

Many of those varieties were struck with a single pair of dies, like my specimen, which is Banti Hadrian 380, RIC 703k (the only one with laureate head left and galley travelling right).