Picked up an Antoninus Pius AV Aureus

Happy Friday! I would like to share my recent coin purchase. It is an Antoninus Pius AV aureus. Picking up a Roman AV aureus is my 2021 ancient coin collecting goal. I have been thinking of either getting a decent-quality aureus, or Syracuse tetradrachm, sometime this year. However, I have no luck with Syracuse tetradrachm, as their hammer prices are way over my budget. So, it seems more feasible for me to pickup an OK-grade aureus instead.

Here is the coin. Quite bright and lustrous, with good flowlines. Seller photo:



Antoninus Pius. AV aureus
Rome, 157-158 AD
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG-PIVS P P IMP II, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right
Rev: TR POT XXI-COS IIII, Salus standing facing, headright, feeding out of patera in left hand serpent held in her arms.
RIC III 279a. Calicó 1684.

I have been hoping for an aureus that can fit into my Faustina collection. I am happy to locate this piece, which has a pretty good portrait of the Emperor. The coin was originally NGC-slabbed as AU, way better than the F or VF grade that I have been expecting with my budget. The drawback of the coin is a scratch behind Salus on the reverse field, which makes the coin affordable to me during this time when ancient coins are all fetching crazy-high hammer prices.

I did some research on the coin. RIC III 279a is for laureate head, and RIC III 279b is for bare head. I also notice that my coin can be quite precisely narrowed down to year 157-158 AD. I am unsure if there is any special event during these two years that leads up to this coin design. The Roman Empire is prosperous during this time period, and Antoninus Pius was not focusing on military campaigns. He was at an old age when the coin was minted, and Marcus Aurelius will be taking over the throne 3 to 4 years later. The Salus theme makes me think that the design may have a “good health wishes” meaning behind.

I don’t know Latin. It is therefore nice to locate a translation on both obverse and reverse legends, from numista.com.
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces260217.html

The obverse translation is:
Antoninus Pius, emperor (Augustus) father of the nation, supreme commander (Imperator) for the second time.

The reverse translation is:
Holder of tribunician power for the 21st time, consul for the fourth time.

I have also tried to see if there is a same reverse design on A. Pius silver or bronze coins. Didn’t find any. Maybe I have not looked deep enough, since I don’t have reference book materials at home. The closest Salus design I can find is this Sestertius in my collection.


Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
Rome mint. AD 145-147.
30.5mm, 24.51 g.
Obv: Laureate head right.
Rev: Salus standing, holding rudder and feeding serpent to left rising from altar.
RIC III 761
A scarce variety with the rudder up, according to seller.

You are welcome to share your Antoninus Pius coins: either bronze, silver or gold. Wishing you all a wonderful relaxing weekend!

 

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Really nice coin. The reverse is sharp too.

I have a couple of coins of Antoninus Pius. Not an aureus unfortunately, but he's a more affordable emperor and often has great-looking coins. One of mine is my avatar (an as featuring Britannia).

The other is a denarius from the Westbury Sub Mendip Hoard. Many of the other coins in the hoard had to be cleaned to the point of losing their patina, but not this one.

Antoninus Pius Denarius, 158-9

Rome. Silver, 3.11g. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P. Antoninus Pius, veiled, togate as a priest, sacrificing out of patera over tripod-altar, and holding roll; beside altar, a prostrate, slain bull, VOTA SOL DEC II, COS IIII (RIC III 291). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard of 188 silver denarii covering 225 years from Mark Antony to Septimius Severus, found 2016.

 

Now that's a great addition. Don't agree with the "OK-grade" though, it looks much nicer! I'd be more than happy to add this (or any aureus for that matter) coin to my collection.
Posting anything other than an AP aureus in reply to this post feels futile...

 

Excellent coin! Congratulations!!!

I would suggest that AVGVSTVS translates closer to 'exalted one' or 'majesty'; whereas IMPERATOR (directly translating as 'supreme commander') would be the better equivalent and derivative of the modern term 'emperor' (rather than AVGVSTVS).

Semantics, of course; as in modern times we understand that the title AVGVSTVS was only bestowed upon who we refer to as 'the emperor'. It was a 'divine (providence)' title, rather than a 'military' or 'political' title.

 

If that beautiful aureus is an "OK Grade" to you, I hope you
won't be working for the TPGs when I send in my coins. Your
coin is superb in many ways. Enjoy your newly acquired treasure
and thanks for sharing!!

 

I'm very particular about coins and honestly, that scratch doesn't bother me. Congratulations on a great addition!

 

Nice pick-up.

 

@happy_collector.....Wonderful looking coin...Probably a denomination I'll never have in my sub-collection of A.P.......Congrats on a real beauty!

 

Congrats with your AP Salus budget aureus , beautifull coin with those flowlines/

Heres a silver Salus AP:

 

I would love to find an aureus that nice or a grade lower from a ruler that meant something special to me. It is a good looking coin.

 

Gorgeous coin!!

 

A beautiful coin. Way better than just OK. Congratulations! I don't expect ever to own an aureus, so I admit I'm envious.

 

That is a lovely coin. Congrats.

As for Antoninus Pius and Salus, I have no gold, but I have some sestertii. I did find a note on FORVM about the issues of 144 A.D.:


Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
(144 A.D.)
Rome Mint
ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P COS III, Laureate head right / [D]ES [IIII] S-C, Salus standing left, holding rudder on globe and feeding serpent rising from altar to left.
RIC 749; Cohen 348.
(26.50 grams / 29 mm)
eBay Nov. 2020
Notes: "During the year AD 144, Salus was by far the commonest type, which is an indication that the emperor suffered from serious illness in this period."
FORVM

I accidentally got a second one of the above, RIC 749 (26.05 grams / 29 mm):



Here's another Salus, slightly later but holding the rudder (as in the OP, but not as pretty):

Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
(c. 145-147 A.D.)
Rome Mint
ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR [P], laureate head right / COS I[II]I, S-C, Salus standing left, feeding serpent arising from altar with patera and holding upright rudder
RIC III 761; Cohen 282.
(23.12 grams / 31 mm)
eBay Feb. 2021

Yet another one:

Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
(145-161 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[ANTONIN]VS AVG PIVS PP [TRP C]OS IIII, laureate head right / [SALVS AVG] S-C, Salus standing right feeding serpent coiled around altar and holding rudder on globe.
RIC 784; BMC 1715; Coh. 718.
(27.44 grams / 29 mm)
eBay June 2019

 

I doubt I'll ever want or need an aureus, so I stick to the cheapos.

Here's a snake-green Salus with snake altar.

 

Nice denarius!

Thanks for your additional information. Good to know a more precise translation.

 

Nice selection of A. P. coins.

Nice denarius with Salus design!

 

Nice Sestertius collection!

I like your coin's great portrait.

 

Nice pickup! I have always wanted an aureus. I have a bid on a Nero & a Hadrian but I’ll probably lose in the end.

Antoninus Pius doesn’t get the credit and attention he should. Most of it is given to Marcus Aurelius instead.

Here is my Antoninus Pius denarius:

 

Congrats, @happy_collector ! A gorgeous coin. Nicely done.

 

I have nearly 1500 Pius and family coins in my collection, but no aureus; so congrats on the coin! Salus coins are among the commonest of Pius as are the Annona ones, but good quality remains rare. I am far in arrears with my photos, so this is probably not the nicest one I have. RIC 635