I already had a Hadrian Sestertius in my one-coin-per-Emperor-collection, but just could not resist this one. Now I´m telling myself that it could be OK to keep both as an exception because the other one has a left facing portrait. Oh well, Hadrian has so many neat reverses that I might open the gates and just start a sub-collection of his until my perfect Gordian II comes along IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG P M TR P COS III - Laureate and draped bust of Hadrian right / MONETA AVGVSTI - Moneta standing left, holding scales in right and cornucopiae in left hand, S-C across fields Sestertius, Rome, AD 123 23,5 gr / 33 mm RIC 586c; Cohen 974; BMC 1196; Sear 3611; Banti 548 (2 specimens) The goddess Moneta was the protectress of the city´s funds. As such, money in ancient Rome was coined in her temple on the citadel on the Capitoline Hill for over four centuries, before the mint was moved to a new location near the Colosseum. Thus, Moneta came to mean "mint" in Latin and was the origin of the words "monetary", "money", and "mint". According to Paul von Rohden (in Paulys Realencyplopädie der Altertumswissenschaften, 1893) the selection of Moneta as a reverse type shows Hadrian´s interest for the coinage itself, which is also attested by the fact that his coin types are particularly varied and beautifully executed.
Thanks! When I compare my two Hadrians I might consider to prefer a light mahogany tone with tan highlights over an unpatinated brassy Sestertius in the future...
