I usually try hard to pay at the low end of the market for any coin, but my other auction win for today was a coin that just grabbed me so much I had to have it. I have been on the lookout for a denarius of Antoninus Pius with an excellent style portrait, and this one really did it for me. The fact that it was a scarcer as Caesar type was an extra bonus: ANTONINUS PIUS (Caesar, 138). Denarius. Rome. Obv: IMP T AEL CAES ANTONINVS. Bare head right. Rev: TRIB POT COS. Pietas standing left, raising hand over garlanded altar to left. RIC 452a (Hadrian). 3.36 g, 18 mm. Please post your Ant. Pius 1) as Caesar, or 2) that you love for its portrait style.
This is one I love for its portrait style. It's also a little double struck with a lot of flow lines: Reverse is COS IIII, Annona standing left holding corn-ears over modius left and anchor. RCV-4067v, RIC-175, RSC-284.
Nice coin @Severus Alexander. I especially love the flow lines and all the details are very sharp. Good win . Here is my example:
Actually I took that in the Agora of Athens. It's on he main level of the restored Stoa. It's a rather large bust of him... and they say he never left Italy during his reign
The reason I suggested Rome as the pic place is virtually every museum or historical building had an abundance of bust sculptures as you probably noticed as well, we stayed the Plaka district in Athens but only had a few spare days and although covered a lot didn't get to the Agora unfortunately.
I know what you mean. The Rome museums were full of so many busts and sculptures it seems they had nowhere to put some of them while our museums here would kill for their throw aways lol I loved the Plaka! Really good restaurants out that way too. I may have hit the ouzo a bit hard though...
Yes I had the same drinking problem there as well, to easy, we were only a couple min walk to the Acropolis you could spend a few hours up there, did you get to Corinth and Micea ruins?
I don't believe I have any coin portraits of Antoninus Pius as caesar. However, I'd like to share with you some pictures of a statue of Antoninus which graces the entrance to a roman fortress on the Limes (Saalburg Kastell). I find this statue very pleasing and impressive.
That portrait really is in remarkably nice style! Here's my A-Pi as caesar issue; looks-wise almost the complete opposite of the OP coin : ANTONINUS PIUS AR Denarius. 2.91g, 20.5mm. Rome mint, AD 138. RIC 447a (Hadrian). O: IMP T AEL CAES ANTONINVS, bare head right. R: TRIB POT COS, Diana standing right, holding bow and arrow. Ex Archer M. Huntington Collection, ANS 1001.57.4904
Great coins all, I didn't know that portraits of Antoninus Pius could be so insightful. 51 years old, he was, when he became caesar. A man ready for his job, in full maturity.
WOW!! So many terrific examples have been posted that I can't decide which I like/love the most! I guess I'll add a denarius I picked up a few months ago...as Augustus and with a cool sacrifice reverse: Antoninus Pius AR Denarius, Pietas reverse Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD). AR Denarius (19 mm, 3.90 g), Roma (Rome), 151-2. Obv. IMP CAES T AEL HADR ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, laureate head to right. Rev. TR POT XV - C - OS IIII / PIETAS, Pietas standing right, holding forelegs of a hind which stands on it’s back legs and a plate of fruit; altar to right. RIC 21