January 24th: the traveling Emperor

Hadrian Ar Denarius Rome 135 AD Obv Head right bare Rv Hispania reclining left RIC 305 RIC II/3 1535 3,45 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen I am particularly fond of Hadrian and especially the "Travel series". This is one group of coins that I do try to collect. At present I have only a few of the denarii and would really like to score a sestertius.

 

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I am amazed by this show of beauty in coins.

 

I have only one example of Hadrian's Travel series (the Aegyptos), but I have nine Hadrian coins in all -- more than any other emperor or empress except for Gallienus, with 10. (After Hadrian, Philip I is next with seven; I have six from Antoninus Pius; and Trajan, Faustina II, and Septimius Severus are all tied with five apiece. It just goes to show that with these exceptions, unlike many of you, I haven't yet collected more than a few coins of any given sovereign.)

Six of my nine Hadrians are from Roman Alexandria. Here are the nine, in chronological order (to the extent the dates are known). Footnotes are omitted from the descriptions of the Alexandrian coins.

Hadrian, AE Dupondius, 123 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate head right, IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG PM TRP COS III / Rev. Virtus standing right, right breast bare, left foot on helmet, holding spear with right hand and parazonium with left hand, VIRTUTI AVGVSTI, S - C across fields. Old RIC II 605 (1926 ed.), Sear RCV II 3670, Cohen 1470, BMCRE 1239. 27 mm., 11.36 g.



Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 11 (126/127 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Canopic Jar of Osiris (a/k/a Osiris-Canopus Jar and Osiris-Hydreios) right, surmounted by Atef crown above ram[?] horns; L ΕΝΔ - EKATΟΥ [= Year 11 spelled out]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5640 (2015); RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5640; Köln 939 [Geissen, A., Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; Milne 1205 [Milne, J., A Catalogue of the Alexandrian Coins in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford, 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay); Emmet 827.11 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Dattari (Savio) 1327 [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)]. 25 mm., 13.41 g. (Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 212th Buy or Bid Sale, August 2020, Lot 497.)




Hadrian, AE Nome Obol, Year 11 (136/127 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint (for Arsinoite Nome). Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder, AΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹΕΒ / Rev. Head of Egyptian Pharaoh right, no beard [identified with Amenemhat III, under Greco-Roman name of Pramarres], wearing nemes [royal striped headdress] with uraeus [sacred cobra, worn by deities and pharaohs] at forehead; APCI (= Arsi[noites]) to left, date L IA (Year 12) to right. RPC Vol. III 6296; RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6296 ; Emmett 1211.11; BMC 16 Alexandria, Nomes 72-73 at p. 357; Sear RCV II 3831 (ill.); Köln 3381/82; Milne 1229. 19.4 mm., 5.32 g. (Purchased from Zuzim Inc., Brooklyn, NY Jan 2021; ex. Fontanille Coins, Auction 96, July 2017, Lot 7, sold as “the finest example [that dealer] ha[d] seen.”)



Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 12 (127/128 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Mummiform Ptah-Sokar-Osiris standing right, wearing solar disk as headdress, holding scepter tipped with jackal head, L ΔWΔƐ-ΚΑΤΟΥ [= Year 12 spelled out]. RPC Vol. III 5713; RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5713; Emmett 883.12; BMC 16 Alexandria 637 & Pl. XXIII; Sear RCV II 3732; Köln 982; Dattari (Savio) 1445; Milne 1259. 24 mm., 13.85 g., 11 h.



Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 18 (133/134 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Serapis enthroned left, wearing modius on head, holding scepter in left hand, and extending right hand toward Cerberus seated to left at his feet; L IH [= Year 18] in left field. RPC Vol. III 5871; RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5871; BMC 16 Alexandria 620-621 at p. 74 & PL. XIII; Köln 1095; Dattari (Savio) 1480; Emmett 892.18; Milne 1394; K&G 32.571 [Kampmann, Ursula & Granschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria (2008)]. 25 mm., 12.42 g., 12 h.



Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 19 (134/135 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust left, slight drapery; ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ Τ[ΡΑΙΑΝ] - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ (clockwise from upper right) [bracketed portion off flan] / Rev. Slightly draped bust of Nilus right, crowned with taenia and lotus-buds, cornucopia behind right shoulder; L ЄN NЄAKΔ [= Year 19 spelled out] (clockwise from lower left). RPC Vol. III 5941; RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5941; Köln 1147; Dattari (Savio) 7450-1; K&G 32.619; Milne 1449; Emmett 875.19. 24.5 mm., 13.10 g., 12 h.



Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 22 (137/138 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Nilus seated left on rocks, holding reed in right hand and cornucopiae in left; crocodile below; L KB (Year 22) in left field. RPC Vol. III 6254; RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6254; Emmett 879.22; Milne 1569; Köln.1241. 24 mm., 12.9 g.



Hadrian AR Denarius 134-138 AD. Obv. Bare head right, HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P/ Rev. Four grain ears in modius with one poppy in middle, ANNO-NA AVG. Old RIC II 230 (1926 ed.), RSC II 172. 18 mm., 3.2 g.



Hadrian AR Denarius, 136 AD, Travel Series, Rome Mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right / Rev: AEGYPTOS, Egypt reclining left, holding sistrum in right hand and resting left arm on basket; to left, ibis standing right. RIC II-3 1482 (2019 ed.), old RIC II 297d (1926 ed.), RSC II 99, Sear RCV II 3456, BMCRE 801-3. 18 mm., 3.11 g., 7 h.

 

I think Hadrian was the first emperor to wear a full beard with a mustache, but Nero and Titus both had "neck beards" in a lot of coins I've seen. Do those not count?

 

Those are wonderful, I love the large first one, the Tet.

 

HADRIAN DENARII


RI Hadrian CE 117-138 AR Denarius Salus stdg feeding Snake


And one of my favorites:


Hadrian, AD 117-138
Æ 'Limes’ Denarius, 18mm, 3.5mm, 6h; after AD 125.
Obv.: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS; Laureate head right.
Rev.: COS III; Genius standing left, sacrificing over a lighted altar and holding cornucopia.
Reference: cf. RIC II 173, p. 360
From the Doug Smith Collection #397, @dougsmit
Ex: @John Anthony

 

I think we occasionally see some of the earlier emperors sporting a temporary "mourning beard" of respect. Not sure about Nero though. The denarius of Nero was minted substantially after Claudius' demise. Plus, I think it would be just a bit over the top wearing a sign of respect for someone in who's murder you might have been complicit.