As part of my effort to "rebuild" the Roman section of the collection, I recently acquired this nice sestertius of Antoninus Pius, featuring Annona on the reverse. When I'm drawn to a particular coin, it is hard to apply the breaks. This is part of the continuing saga for me. In addition to a pleasing green-brown patina, this coin has a nicely centered portrait of Antoninus Pius and a decently centered reverse depicting Annona, stepping to the right on a prow, holding a rudder to the right and a bowl of grain to the left, all done in a nice style. Roman Empire, 156-157AD AE Sestertius Antoninus Pius (born 86, died 161AD) Rome Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II, Laureate head right, drapery on shoulder. Reverse: TR POT XX COS IIII, Annona standing right, holding rudder, left foot on prow. RIC 980 Rome Good VF Exceptional light/dark green patina, excellent portrait and overall grade. 31.1mm 25.4 grams The reverse of this coin, showing the goddess Annona, the goddess of the grain supply, holding a rudder and stepping on a the prow of a ship is a clear reference to Rome's dependence on the flow of grain from the East, notably from Egypt. Further, this coin associates Antoninus Pius with the continuation of this essential connection. As with so much coinage, both ancient and modern, politics is combined with not only religion, but also the message of continuing economic security and wellbeing of the society at large, in this case, food.
Lovely sestertius. It has great style to it. This inspired me to poke around my Antoninus Pius holdings to seek out Annona. These aren't pretty, but here they are: This is a bare-headed as that seems to be a bit scarce. It came in an eBay lot of mostly provincials, all of which had been harshly cleaned, unfortunately: Antoninus Pius Æ As (140-144 A.D.) Rome Mint [ANT]ONINVS AVG PIVS PP IMP TR [P COS III], bare head right / ANNO[NA AVG] S-C, Annona standing right, holding corn-ears & cornucopiae; modius to left, ship prow to right. RIC III 675 var. (bare head). (9.09 grams / 24 mm) eBay Sep. 2020 Lot @ $5.00 Attribution Note: Found two auctions with bare head variety: Bertolami: May 14, 2012 Auction 5, Lot 564 Savoca: Feb. 24, 2018 Fifth Blue Auction, Lot 1121 Another as - this is horrific. The worst of an eBay lot, but I was able to identify it - it is the same as the first one, but with the more common laureate bust: Antoninus Pius Æ As (140-144 A.D.) Rome Mint [ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP IMP TR P COS III], laureate head right / ANNO[NA AVG] S-C, Annona standing right, holding corn-ears & cornucopiae; modius to left, ship prow to right. RIC III 675. (10.92 grams / 26 mm) eBay July 2020 Lot @ $3.75 Here is a dupondius with a desert patina and a chunk missing: Antoninus Pius Æ Dupondius (151-152 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP CAES T AEL HADR ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, radiate head right / POT XV COS IIII, SC, ANNONA AVG in exergue, Annona seated l. holding corn-ears over modius with corn-ears and cornucopiae. RIC 898; Cohen 51. (10.27 grams / 25 mm) Finally, a sestertius - one RIC number over from the OP: Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius (157-158 A.D.) Rome Mint ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP IMP II, laureate head right / TR POT XXI COS IIII S-C, Annona standing left, holding rudder on prow and corn ears over modius. RIC 981; Sear 4254 (24.45 grams / 30 mm)
Beautiful Sestertius , I love it. Here is my Antonius Pius Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD) AE Sestertius Struck 143 AD Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TRP COS III, laureate head right Rev: IMPERATOR II, Fides standing front, looking right, holding corn ears and dish of fruit. S-C across fields. 26.08 grams. RIC III 716; Cohen 426; BMCRE 1608; Sear 4181.
Great coin, congratulations! I like the style. I bought an Ant. Pius sestertius around this time last year:
Robinjojo, A very nice coin , one of my favorite emperors too. Two suggestions: no drapery on shoulder that I can see, and date on rev. appears to be XX-I not XX. The Annona standing type was struck in both of those years.
My offering is not much in terms of condition but is a 'better' type showing the heads of two of his grandchildren on cornucopia. About three years ago we had a good post on this type by Roman Collector. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/antoninus-pius-grandchildren-but-which-ones.314260/
Very handsome looking coin! has great detail. I wish we had more information about this enigmatic emperor. here are a few of my Antoninus coins... Sestertius of Antoninus with I believe Ceres on reverse. Sestertius of Antoninus with him in triumphal chariot on reverse. Sestertius with reverse of Antoninus as Sol. Sestertius with reverse honoring the senate As with reverse of crossed cornucopiae.
I just posted my half-dozen Antoninus Pius coins over on the "Death of Antoninus Pius" thread; there's one with Annona on the reverse: Antoninus Pius AR Denarius, 149 AD. Obv. Laureate head right, ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII / Rev. Annona standing left holding corn ears over modius left and anchor right, COS IIII. RIC III 175, RSC II 284, BMCRE 657. 19.5 mm., 3.242 g.
Not pretty either, but it is what it is Æ As, Rome, 151 - 152 AD In 151 - 152 AD Antoninus Pius celebrated his third “quinquennalia” = XV. Salus festival was celebrated on March, 30 together with Pax, Concordia, and Janus. 25 x 27 mm, 10.822 g RIC III Antoninus Pius 900a; Cohen 729; BMC 1904; Sear 4311; Ob.: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XV laureate head of Antoninus Pius to r. Rev.: SALVS AVG Salus standing l., holding scepter in l. hand and patera in r. hand, feeding a snake coiled around altar. In ex. COS IIII across field S - C
Thank you all for your wonderful posts and coins. I hope to post more coins as I go through the collection, and new coins make their appearances, in the near future.