Just have not seen a thread featuring this wonderful Emperor for quite some time.. I think a Hadrian "Pile On Thread" is in order .. show me your worst, your best, your in-between, and your fleur de coin - I just need more Hadrian cowbell!! I have a fever! Here are three that I own... not great coins - but the first one is so special to me as I purchased it during the first few months - at the very start of my collecting hobby... I can't really describe how proud and happy I was when it arrived.. a magical feeling:
Excellent Rocky pun. My best Hadrian to date was this sestertius, ex-Boston Museum of Fine Arts, ex-Goldbergs, ex-Colosseo Collection (@AncientJoe). Alas, it is also ex-@lordmarcovan now. My friend @Aethelred has it today. Funny how I keep owing him money, and he keeps ending up with some of my better coins. Now a successful brick-and-mortar dealer with his own Western North Carolina coin shop, he has provided me with lots of good stuff at very friendly prices over the years. Not too many people get pillaging rights to my collection. Some of my best pieces have since ended up in his personal collection. I do miss this one, definitely. Roman Empire: orichalcum sestertius of Hadrian, struck ca. 134-138 AD Obverse: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate bust of Hadrian right, slight drapery on far shoulder. Reverse: AE-QVI[TAS] A[V]G, S C across field, Aequitas standing facing, head left, holding scales and scepter. Struck at Rome ca. 134-138 AD. RIC 743; BMC 1481. 31 mm approx., 23.4 g. Ex-Colosseo collection, 6 June 2015. Prior provenance to Boston Museum of Fine Arts, cited in Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles Auction 81, Lot 1567, September 2014.
Hadrian Ae Sestertius Rome 119 AD Obv bust right laureate drapery on far shoulder. Rv. Anonna standing left To right prow of ship RIC 565 RIC II/3 233 26.32 grms 33 mm Photo by W. Hansen The early portraits of Hadrian tend to follow the canon set by the very late portraits of Trajan. In this image Hadrian is depicted as a very powerfully built individual. This is interesting as very quickly the propaganda seen on the coins of Hadrian tends to de-emphasize him as a soldier and present him as the choice given to the Roman people by the gods.
My favorite Hadrian denarius Hadrian AR Denarius. Rome, circa AD 130. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate head to right FELICITATI AVGVSTI, galley under oar to left. RIC II.3 1400; BMCRE 621; RSC 712.
HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS / INDVLGENTIA AVG COS III P P S C Sestertius, Rome AD 130 22,65 gr / 32 mm RIC 708, BMCRE 1418, Cohen 851, Sear 3604 HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS / FELICITATI AVG COS III P P Sestertius, Rome, AD 131 23,79 gr / 30,88 mm RIC 703k IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG P M TR P COS III / MONETA AVGVSTI Sestertius, Rome, AD 123 23,5 gr / 33 mm RIC 586c; BMCRE 1196; Cohen 974; Sear 3611
Hadrian has quite a few coins I consider having more than the average interest for one reason or another. A galley denarius - while others have been shown above, note each is different in some way. It was a popular type. Romulus the founder Stabile Earth Minerva behind her shield Restoration of Africa on an as Travel series sestertius Egypt
How about some orichalcum??? Hadrian, AD 117-138. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 13.78 g, , 26.1 mm, 7 h. Rome, ca. AD 119-124. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG P M TR P COS III, radiate and draped bust, right. Rev: PIETAS AVGVSTI, Pietas, veiled, draped, standing facing right before a lighted altar, raising her right hand and holding a box of incense in her left. Refs: RIC 601c; BMCRE 1233-34; Cohen 1044; Strack 542; RCV 3665; Hill 257. . Hadrian, AD 117-138. Roman orichalcum semis, 4.06 g, 18.1 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 121-23. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, eagle standing half right, head turned left, wings open but not spread. Rev: P M TR P COS III S C, thunderbolt. Refs: RIC 625; RIC 2.3, 624; BMC 1279; Cohen 1167; Strack 579; RCV 3704. Hadrian, AD 117-138. Roman orichalcum semis, 4.12 g, 18.3 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 124-25, possibly for use in Syria. Obv: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS: Bust of Hadrian, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right. Rev: COS III S C, lyre. Refs: RIC 688; RIC 2.3, 758; BMC 1359-61; Cohen 443; Strack 625; RCV 3701; McAlee 547a.
My only Hadrian denarius: Obverse: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right. Reverse: ROMAE AETERNAE, Roma seated left on low seat, shield at her side, holding palladium and spear. 137-138 RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2342 An as acquired in a lot HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, Head of Hadrian, laureate, right / COS III // S C (in field), Salus standing right, rarely leaning on column, holding snake and feeding it from patera 126-127 RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 881 Two coins with uncertain denomination (quadrans or semis) HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, bust of Hadrian, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right, viewed from rear or side / COS III // S C (in field), lyre 124-125 RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 758 IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, eagle standing right / P M TR P COS III // S C (in field), thunderbolt 121-123 RIC II Hadrian 624 ... and 2 provincials Lydia, Nakrasa ΑΥΤΟ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ, laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian, r. / ΝΑΚΡΑϹΙΤΩΝ, Tyche standing l., wearing kalathos, holding rudder in r. hand, cornucopia in l. RPC III, 1805, BMC 17–18 Egypt, Alexandria tetradrachm ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ, laureate draped and cuirassed bust of Hadrian, r., seen from rear / L ΙΗ, Sarapis seated, l., holding sceptre; to l., Cerberus 133-134 RPC III, 5871 , BMC 620-623
I can add a couple of Hadrian tets from Alexandria: Hadrian, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm (24 mm, 12.68 g), RY 22 = 137/8. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙC ΤΡΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟC CЄΒ Laureate head of Hadrian to right./ Rev. ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑ / L ΚΒ Pronoia standing front, head to left, holding Phoenix in her right hand and scepter in her left. RPC III 6252. Hadrian, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm, 136-137 AD (24.5mm., 13.20g). Laureate head of Hadrian r./ Rev. Demeter wearing peplos standing l. holding corn-ears and sceptre.
Never was a huge fan of Hadrian, but just got this tet. Reverse has a standing figure of some sort. Can't find it on Wildwinds
My favorite Hadrian for type is this one - Nemesis spitting into her dress, a coin issued to celebrate the "just desserts" meted out to the Bar Kochba revolt: Hadrian Æ Sestertius (136 (RIC); c. 134-138 A.D.) Rome Mint [HADRI]ANVS AVG C[OS III P P], laureate head right / S-C, Pax-Nemesis advancing right, holding out fold of dress in apotropaic gesture and branch. RIC II.3 2288 (RIC 779); Cohen 1374; BMC 1549. (21.14 grams / 29 mm) eBay June 2020 Note: "The main denarius and aes types with VICTORIA AVG slogan (...the aes with the same theme is anepigraphic) feature an unusual winged Victory superstitiously lifting drapery to spit on her own chest to ward off ill-fortune and syncretised with Pax in holding the branch of peace. This is the type of Nemesis (fate) which along with Justitia can be read as the Roman view of giving Bar Kochba and his rebellion their 'just deserts'... thematically it is clearly linked to the evens of 136." (RIC II, 3) A couple of the "Restitution issues: Africa: Achaea (Greece):
One of my favourite Denarius.....Always liked this portrait.. Hadrian (117- 138). Rome, c. 131-138 AD.Denarius. 2,85 g. 17 mm. Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate head right. Rev: FORTVNA AVG, Fortuna standing left holding patera and cornucopiae. VF, old collection patina....RIC#245A
Although this coin has seen a lot of circulation, it’s still one of my favorite coins. The amount of circulation means it did its job to get the message across, I guess.
My Hadrians: Hadrian, Roman Empire, denarius, 119–122 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate head of Hadrian right. Rev: PM TR P COS III, Pax seated left, holding Victory on globe and branch. 18.5mm, 3.05g. Ref: RIC II Hadrian 95. Hadrian, Roman Empire, AE as, 125–128 AD, Rome mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS; bust of Hadrian, laureate, r. Rev: COS III; Salus, draped, standing r., feeding snake out of patera; in fields flanking, SC. 26mm, 10.2g. Ref: RIC II Hadrian, 669c. Ex AMCC 1, lot 180; ex Justin Lee collection. Hadrian, Roman Empire, quadrans, 125–128 AD, Rome mint. Obv: [HADRIANVS] AVGVS[TVS]; head of Hadrian, laureate, r. Rev: COS I[II]; three standards; in exergue, SC. 15mm, 2.64g. Ref: RIC II Hadrian 689.