My goal for 2019 was to complete this Adopted Emperors set at some point... I did not expect to have this done in January!! I had 5 of these coins on "lay away" with a dealer since November - paying a bit per month. I was unexpectedly able to pay that off this month and complete the set - all as a gift from my wife. Awesome! A few trickled in this week (that I posted) but the main lot arrived today. These may not be in collectible condition for many here but that is OK. I am extremely excited to be the latest owner! My goal was a full set of sestertius - however Nerva was just too expensive in any acceptable condition (even for me).. however the Nerva dupondius is my favorite coin of the group (I love the portrait!) - so I am very happy to have it! A couple of others (Lucius Aelius and Lucius Verus) were not in my initial plan but I was able to get a couple of bargain examples to expand the set. They are very modest - but very interesting to me. *My next goal is to build a display cabinet - just waiting for the garage to get a little warmer than -30 degrees! Nerva (96-8 AD), brass dupondius, Rome mint, struck Jan. - Sep. 97 AD, 28mm, 11.08g Obverse: Radiate head of Nerva to right, legend: IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P I COS III PP Reverse: Fortuna standing l., holding rudder and cornucopiae, legend: FORTVNA AVGVST / S C Reference: Coh 69, RIC II 84 Ex Stacks auction ("James Dines collection"), March 7-8, 1969. TRAJAN AE orichalcum sestertius. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP COS V P P, Laureate head right, slight drapery on far shoulder. Reverse - SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, SC in ex, Victory standing left, holding palm and erecting trophy; shields at base. RIC 523. 32mm, 23.6g Hadrian (117-138AD), brass sestertius, Rome mint, struck 134-8 OBV: Laureate head r, HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP REV: Aequitas standing l. holding scales and scepter AEQVITAS AVG / S-C RIC743 AELIUS CAESAR (136-138). Sestertius. Rome. Obv: L AELIVS CAESAR. Bare headed and draped bust right. Rev: TR POT COS II / S-C. Fortuna standing right, holding rudder and cornucopia, Spes standing left, holding flower. 30MM . 22.32GM. Antoninus Pius (138-61AD), brass sestertius, 31mm OBV: Laureate bust Antoninus to right, ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TRP COS IIII REV: Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae MONETA AVG / S-C RIC 610 Lucius Verus (161-9 AD) brass sestertius, struck 165-6 AD, 29mm, 21.90g OBV: Laureate bust right [...] ARM PARTH [...] REV: Parthian captive seated right as base of trophy, TR POT [VI IMP COS II] / SC RIC III 1442 Marcus Aurelius (161-80 AD), brass sestertius, Rome mint, struck 164 AD, 33mm OBV: Laureate head of Aurelius [M AV]REL ANTONINVS ARME[NIACVS PM] REV: Mars standing r, holding spear and shield, TRP XVIII [IMP] II COS III /SC RIC 861 COMMODUS AUGUSTUS AE sestertius. 184–185 AD. OBV: M COMMODVS ANTO—N AVG PIVS BRIT, laureate head of Commodus right. REV: VOTA SVSCEP DECEN P M TR P X IMP VII COS IIII P P, emperor, veiled and togate, sacrificing left from patera over tripod, S—C across field. RIC 454a 33mm, 24.4g. Please post any of your Adoptive Emperors .. I enjoy seeing them in higher grade. Cheers!!
A very nice collection @Clavdivs. I am a big fan of the Nerva. What a great portrait. Here is my denarius of Marcus Aurelius. Marcus Aurelius, 161-180. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.31 g, 6 h), Rome, 173. M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII Laureate head of Marcus Aurelius to right. Rev. IMP VI COS III German captive seated left at foot of a trophy. Cohen 300. RIC 280. Well centered and attractively toned. Nearly extremely fine. From the collection of W. F. Stoecklin, Amriswil, Switzerland, acquired prior to 1975. Obolos 9 by Nomos. March 25, 2018
Very nice set, @Clavdivs!!! I really like that Commodus! And I think those are in collectable condition... Here are a few middle denominations of some of the Adoptive Emperors in lower grade, and I'm ok with that too. Hadrian, AE Dupondius Struck 125-128 AD, Rome mint Obverse: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, Bust of Hadrian, radiate, draped on left shoulder, right. Reverse: COS, Pegasus running right, SC/III in exergue. References: RIC II 658j Size: 28mm, 13.0g Antoninus Pius, Ruled 138-161 AD AE As, Struck 139 AD, Rome Mint Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, head of Antoninus Pius, laureate, right. Reverse: MONETA AVGVSTI, Moneta, standing left, holding scales in right hand and cornucopiae in left; COS-II/S-C across fields. References: RIC III 561 Size: 29mm, 11.5g Marcus Aurelius, Ruled 161-180 AD AE Dupondius, Struck 170-171 AD, Rome mint Obverse: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXV, Head of Marcus Aurelius, radiate, right. Reverse: IMP VI COS III, Victory, winged, naked to waist, standing front, head right, setting on palm-tree right, shield inscribed VIC GER; S-C across fields. References: RIC III 1002 Size: 25mm, 15.1g Commodus, AE Dupondius Struck 183-184 AD, Rome mint Obverse: M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG PIVS, Head of Commodus, radiate, right. Reverse: TR P VIIII IMP VI COS IIII P P, Minerva, helmeted, draped, advancing right, brandishing javelin in right hand and holding shield in left hand, S-C across field. References: RIC III 421a Size: 25mm, 8.3g
Congrats, my favorite is your Hadrian portrait. Great style. My Hadrian Galley Sestertius. Hadrian's galley, struck 132-4 AD, Sestertius, 26.18gm, RIC 11 706.
Well done @Clavdivs ADOPTED EMPERORS RI Nerva AE Dupondius 96-98 CE LIBERTAS PVBLICA -pileus Ex: TIF RI AE As Trajan CE 98-117 26mm 11.0g Rome Laureate Draped - SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS Victory R wreath palm S-C RIC 675 RI Hadrian AR Quinarius 1.3g, 14mm Rome, AD 119-122 cuirassed laureate COS III Victory seated wreath palm RIC 108a RI Aelius Caesar 138 CE AE As 26mm Rome mint Fortuna-Spes cornucopia and rudder RI Antoninus Pius 138-161 BCE BILLON Tet Alexandria Egypt Dikaiosyne Scale RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AE As 24mm Mars w Trophy RI MARCUS AURELIUS AR Den as Caesar TR POT VI COS II - Genius stg at altar hldg standard RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius 17.7mm 2.42g Apollo Plectrum Lyre RIC 218 RSC 25 BMCRE 292 Rare Type
Same problem here... I have a Nerva Sestertius, but it´s condition is hardly "acceptable" (even though it is an interesting reverse type). As all the Antonines after Nerva were in fact connected by a female dynasty, I have included the ladies of the house in my Sestertius collection (a quality Crispina is still in the mail...):
Here's one of my favorite "Tony" Pius Coins. I love the detail even though there is some corrosion. Ruler: Antoninus Pius (Augustus) Coin: VF+ Brass Sestertius ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P - Laureate head right COS IIII - Antoninus Pius standing left, wearing radiate nimbus and military attire, holding olive branch and spear. Exergue: Mint: Rome (145-161 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 22.49g / 30mm / 360 References: RIC 765 Banti 116 Cohen 318 Acquisition/Sale: Numismatic Sale #73 Agora Auctions Numismatic Sale #73 $0.00 03/18
Hadrian Sestertius Roma 134-38 AD Jupiter Reference. RIC 763; C. 861;BMC 1521; Strack 671 Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Bare head right Rev. IOVI CVSTODI S C below Jupiter, naked to waist, seated left on throne, holding thunderbolt in right hand and vertical sceptre in left. 21.96 gr 32.50 mm 6h Note. IOVI CVSTODI as Jupiter protector, protecting the health of Hadrian and Aelius
I'm not surprised you were able to assemble such a set quickly. All the coins of these individuals are common, though if you want a sestertius of Aelius it will be more expensive as they are scarcer.
@Ken Dorney - I am not claiming any rarities here or that this is a difficult set to assemble quickly.. I was just stating that I do not usually acquire coins at this rate. Also my post includes a modest Aelius sestertius.
Nice coins! I have been building my collection in silver denarii where possible, but to be honest I would probably choose sestertii if I had to do it all over again. My adoptive emperor denarii are some of my favorite coins in my Roman collection. Nerva Trajan Hadrian Sabina Aelius Antoninus Pius Faustina I (lifetime) Diva Faustina I "Baby Marcus" Marcus Aurelius
Faustina II (+ Commodus and Antoninus) Lucius Verus Lucilla Commodus (due for an upgrade, but not many nice ones have been offered recently) Crispina I do have one nice sestertius from this dynasty
Yes - I totally agree.. I just wanted to show the end of the line as it were. I had a friend of mine over last night and he was pretty interested. I walked him through each Emperor's history.. not surprisingly he was most interested in the Commodus coin due to the Gladiator film. I think I will also add a Domitian to the set as well to sort of start it off. Guess I should rename the set? How about "The Rise and Fall of the Adoptive Emperors"?
