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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;johnmilton, post: 8163520, member: 101855&quot;]I had been looking at a Roman gold Aureus for some time, but the prices! It seemed that any piece that looked half way decent cost 5 figures. This one wasn&#039;t cheap, but it was priced will below five figures. I was pleasantly surprised when the dealer gave me his quote.</p><p><br /></p><p>I spotted this piece at the recent FUN show. It is graded NGC Choice VF and it looks better in person that it does in my pictures. For that reason, I am showing two views of it. The scratches in the first picture are way overstated in the photo. This piece has fairly smooth surfaces, and there is some mint luster in the protected areas between the lettering.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first view.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1425098[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1425099[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The second view.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1425100[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1425101[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are the &quot;bullet points&quot; from my notebook about the Emperor Antonius Pius, who ruled from 138 to 161.</p><p><br /></p><p>· Titus Aurelius Falvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus was born in 86 into a wealthy and distinguished family. His family wealth gave him good connections which helped him rise in a successful public career.</p><p><br /></p><p>· His first consulship came at age 34, and he gained a reputation for integrity during proconsular governorship in Asia (133-6).</p><p><br /></p><p>· His distinguished government service gained the attention of Hadrian. Hadrian’s health was failing and when his first choice to succeed him, Aelius Caesar, died, Hadrian selected Antoninus. He became emperor on July 10, 138. He was 52 years of age.</p><p><br /></p><p>· Antoninus’ appointment was complicated by the fact that Hadrian required him to appoint 17 year old Marcus Aurelius, nephew of Antoninus’s wife, Faustina, and 8 year old Lucius Verus, son of Aelius Caesar, as his successors.</p><p><br /></p><p>· Marcus Aurelius’ career was quickly pushed forward as he became Caesar in 139, but Lucius Verus was held back.</p><p><br /></p><p>· A constitutional crisis developed early in Antonius’ reign when he insisted upon the deification of&nbsp; Hadrian. Hadrian had never had a good relationship with the Senate, and they refused to support Antonius’ orders. The Senate was reluctant to vote for that consecration for Hadrian.</p><p><br /></p><p>· Ultimately Antonius had to threaten to abdicate to get the Senate to move. He devotion to Hadrian resulted in the granting of an additional title, Pius.</p><p><br /></p><p>· Despite the fact that Antonius was 52 when he became emperor, he ruled for 23 years.</p><p><br /></p><p>· During his reign, the empire enjoyed peace and prosperity. The only disturbance was a minor uprising in northern Britain which was easily quelled.</p><p><br /></p><p>· When Antonius Pius died, Marcus Aurelius became emperor along with Lucius Verus. This was the first co-emperorship in empire’s 188 year history.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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