I'm assuming (correct me if I'm wrong) that "cuprite gently levelled out in parts" is a lawyerly way of saying that this coin has been smoothed? Without using the word "smoothed"... Its ex-Lanz so I suppose its a possibility? This whole description, which seems to be desperately attempting to justify the $20K price tag seems like a load of bunk to me .. but what do I know? I did enjoy the read though... maybe you will too.. https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/lo..._133135_excessively_rare/2019402/Default.aspx Hadrian Æ Sestertius (21.24g, 34mm, 6h). Rome, AD 133-135. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare-headed and draped bust to right / PAX AVG, Pax standing to left, holding branch and cornucopiae; S-C across fields. RIC II.3 2167 (same dies); C. 1016; BMCRE 1528; NAC 54, 432; NGSA 5, 233 = Sotheby's (Hunt), 134 = M&M 52, 617 (same dies); Glendining (Ryan V), 2548 = Naville II (Vautier-Collignon), 732 = J. Hirsch XXXI, 1325 (same dies); M&M XVII, 451 = Hess (Trau), 1267 = Toynbee pl. I.4 = BMFA Roman Medallions no. 24 (same dies); Lanz 94, 498 = M&M Basel, 12-13 November 1970, 343 (same dies). Good Very Fine; somewhat corroded surfaces, cuprite gently levelled out in parts. Excessively Rare; the work of the 'Alphaeus master', one of only six examples known. Ex Numismatik Lanz München, Auction 94, 22 November 1999, lot 498; Ex Münzen & Medaillen AG Basel, Auction 318, 12 November 1970, lot 343. It is the quality of engraving employed for the dies used to strike this sestertius of Hadrian that mark it out for high praise: only one die pair is known for the type and is attributed to the work of a medallion engraver whom Charles Seltman dubbed the 'Alphaeus master' and declared "a brilliant man". This enigmatic die-engraver has been identified with the sculptor Antonianus of Aphrodisias, whose superb classical style embodied the revival of Greek art and culture under Hadrian and with whose reliefs stylistic parallels can be drawn. Equally, Seltman argued that the "strong characteristic gem-engraver's manner" with which this die was engraved perhaps identifies the Alphaeus master as a gem-engraver working within the imperial court, as the gem-engraver Dioskourides worked for Augustus. (1948, p.83) In her seminal work on Roman Medallions (1944, p.32), Toynbee described this type as a "medallic coin" which paired a standard, albeit highly elegant, reverse die engraved for a sestertius (with SC inscribed) with an obverse die intended for a larger bronze medallion. Indeed, she ascribes two bronze medallions of Hadrian in Gnecchi to the Alphaeus master, the second of which (pl. 42, no. 4) is remarkably close to (and Toynbee thought perhaps the same die as) the obverse die of the present sestertius. Just as medallions were minted on occasions of great importance in the reign of a Roman emperor, P. V. Hill suggests this medallic sestertius was minted to mark Hadrian's vicennalia or twentieth anniversary as Roman emperor in AD 135. (1970, p.167) The impressive authoritative portrait of the veteran emperor is carved with astonishing delicacy and precision, particularly notable in the wave-like hair which curls forward around the temples, his angular features, and full cropped beard. Although identification remains elusive, the Alphaeus master is the most celebrated die engraver of the Roman period. Seltman concluded his discussion of the artist with the words "skill and elegance of manner mark all the work of this man – the last engraver to employ that style which we have come to regard as Classical Greek." (1948, p.85) Thus, these masterful rare medallic sestertii of Hadrian, of which there are seemingly only five that have appeared on the market in the last century, are highly-prized by collectors of Roman coinage. There is no better indication of the desire for this type than the Nelson Bunker Hunt example, which holds the record for the highest price for a Roman coin achieved at auction, having sold in 2008 for CHF 2,000,000 (NGSA 5, 233).
That does sound like a euphemistic way of saying 'smoothed'. 20,000 pounds is a lot of money, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's not worth it...the portrait is an absolute masterpiece, very rare, and it's in quite good shape too.
Yes, smoothed. Here it is in 1999 when it sold for $1583 In 2022, it was sold by ROMA for $21,399. The lengthy description is originally from ROMA. In 2023, it was sold by ROMA again, for $9,528. Besides using the description from ROMA, LAC is also using their photo, lightened a bit.
LAC didn't even bother to mention that Lanz 94 was the great Leo Benz (1906-1996) Collection! (Specifically, Part II: Roman Imperial I.) Here's the coin ill. on Plate 29: I'm taking the chance to show off my Leo Benz catalogs because they are some of my favorites. I bought the only complete hardcover set from the Lanz Numismatik Library sale a couple years ago. I also have a set of the three regular softcover catalogs (still very collectible and useful -- highly recommended!). Those are the ones I use as my day-to-day "desk copies." The hardcovers usually serve as my "shelf copies." (Guess who got Hubert Lanz's partial hardcover set? This coin's seller -- LAC! So they should know that the Hadrian's collector, Leo Benz, is special and worth mentioning! Then again, their set of hardcover catalogs is up for sale with no mention of what's special about it, either.) Also, that Hadrian... Same dies as the most expensive Roman bronze coin ever at roughly $2 Million after fees in 2008 (the most expensive Roman before the recent Gold Brutus'):
I saw that! Let's hope they'll use an inner cardboard mailer on this one. Whenever a coin has that worked-over look, those subtle rosy patches, I usually stay away. Happily, these usually aren't on the sub-$300 coins. Usually, but not always.
If you look at the hair .. directly upwards of the eye.. there may even be some tooling in there? but I am no expert of course.. Interesting listing, amazing to see the previous prices and amazing catalogues. just a fun listing to discuss and disseminate by us mere mortals.
I'm not sure I can see any major tooling on the Hadrian (beyond smoothing and other typical mechanical processing for a coin like that). But others might see something I miss or interpret it differently. All these photos have a lot of shadows, so it's hard to be certain. (On the Leo Benz / Lanz 94 photo [previous comments], there is a weird shadow in hair above eye, but nothing off there in Roma's photos.) Edit: The ear does look a little funny... All from the same die pair: Top: Bigger image of the other example from the same dies (the famous Numismatica Genevensis 5 specimen that sold for like $2M). Middle: The present coin (Lanz 94/Leo Benz & Roma & LAC VCoins). Bottom: NAC 54, 432, which hammered at 95,000 CHF in 2010 (roughly $120,000 after fees)! Here is NAC's interesting commentary: An extraordinary portrait work of an excellent master engraver. [...] Among the great prizes of Roman coinage are medallic sestertii which Charles Seltman attributed to an artist he dubbed the ‘Alphaeus Master’. This engraver may have been the sculptor Antonianus of Aphrodisias, whose style epitomised the Hadrianic revival of Greek classicism, but with that speculation aside we may say he is the most celebrated die engraver of the Roman period to have been identified by his body of work. We might suspect he was a member of the inner circle of Hadrian, an emperor who was so completely infatuated with Greek art and culture that he would have made Greece his home had his obligations not interfered. He became familiar with Athens as a young man, and in 112 was elected archon of the city; as emperor he travelled to Greece in 124/5, 128 and 131, typically residing in his favourite city, Athens. This sestertius very likely was struck in 135 for Hadrian's vicennalia (20th anniversary). The selection of Pax as the reverse type may well be a reference to the emperor's hope for a speedy end to the Bar Kochba War in Judaea – a traumatic event that tarnished the last years of Hadrian's life. Toynbee describes these sestertii as 'medallic coins', for in her view they pair a regular reverse die for a sestertius with a portrait die intended to produce bronze medallions. Though it cannot be disproven that the reverse die was intended for standard coinage (after all, it does include SC in the inscription), the artistry is of such a high calibre it is hard to imagine that it was ever intended to produce regular-issue sestertii. Two bronze medallions in Gnecchi (pl. 42, nos. 3, 4) bear portraits that Toynbee rightly ascribes to the Alphaeus Master. The first is of a different die than the one used for the Pax sestertius and is paired with an anepigraphic reverse displaying the birds of the Capitoline Triad; the second appears to share the obverse die of the Pax sestertius, though in this case it is paired with an anepigraphic reverse showing a bridge with its span decorated with eight columns. Among other imperial issues produced by the Alphaeus Master we should add a bronze medallion showing on its reverse the forest-god Silvanus bringing a goat before a temple entrance (NAC 15, lot 355) and a silver medallion showing Athena and Poseidon in their competition to be the patron of Athens (NAC 18, lot 519). Other portraits of Hadrian of different composition might also be considered, as should some unusually refined reverse dies for bronze medallions (for example, Gnecchi II pl. 38, nos. 5 and 6; pl. 40, nos. 5-8; pl. 41, no. 2; and pl. 42, nos. 1 and 5). [NAC 54, 432: on ACSearch.info ; PDF Catalog (and Price Realized here) from their website]
