Featured OTD: In 86 CE Mr. Perfect is born...but does anybody really care about Antoninus Pius?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ryro, Sep 19, 2019.

  1. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    This is one fella whom I keep telling myself I will upgrade my denarius of his but don't. Partly due to the fact that I like the ghostly almost spooky portrait. Also, because it's just boring old AP.

    561AFC02-ACA9-464D-AF0F-E8DF69500C25.jpeg

    9987FED6-4D37-4F3C-8D9A-D63651F2B907.png
    Antoninus Pius

    (138-161 AD). AR Denarius (18 mm, 3.39 g), Roma (Rome), 153-154 AD.
    Obv. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVII, laureate head right.
    Rev. COS IIII, Vesta standing holding simpulum and Palladium.
    RIC III, 229b.
    Nicely toned

    The guy didn't kill his own mother, skipped out on sleeping with his sisters, never killed his son for false accusations of sleeping with his wife, if he played the fiddle we never had to hear about it, heck, he was even known as a completely devoted and loving husband despite the salacious rumors of his wife Faustina out prostituting a prostitute!
    9D75A19C-A873-4910-A0C1-0F0D39263E44.png

    Diva Faustina Senior
    wife of Antoninus Pius (141 BCE). Silver denarius (3.69 gm). Ca. 147-161. DIVA FAV—STINA, draped bust of Diva Faustina right with jewels in her hair / AETER-NITAS, Aeternitas or Juno standing facing, head left, raising right hand and holding scepter. BMCRE 345. RIC

    This guy is the Rodney Dangerfield of the Augustii.
    He was around forever (ruled for 23 years of peace and prosperity!), made everyone happy (effective administrator, left his successors a large surplus in the treasury, gave free drinking water to everyone within the empire, and facilitated the enfranchisement of freed slaves), gave us his adopted son Marcus Aurelius, but still he gets no respect!

    [​IMG]

    Let's face it, the guy wasn't ashamed to do things his way...even if it was really cold out:

    [​IMG]


    And even what's left of his Triumphal arch is more of just an Umphal arch (I guess this is why they call them ruins):
    [​IMG]

    However, today is the day of his birth so I am here to show off what I got (even if like the statue from above shows...it aint much).

    971506EF-AAAF-438A-9BC4-6298F006C5C1.png

    Antoninus Pius
    138-161 CE, Sestertius, Obv: Laureate head of Antoninius Pius right "ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P" Rev: Honos standing left holding a branch and cornucopiae "HONORI AVG COS IIII SC". RIC 772. Struck 145-7
    RPC 4318; For countermark: Howgego


    AAF07925-C9E6-432E-B192-09A8F33841B8.png

    Antoninus Pius
    Lycaonia, Iconium. A.D. 138-161. AE 17 (16.8 mm, 4.75 g, 7 h). [ANTO]NINVS AVG PIVS, laureate head right / [CO]L ICO, helmeted head of Athena right. SNG von Aulock 8648; von Aulock, Lycaoniens, 308; RPC IV online 7259; SNG France -. VF. Scarce.


    B852E751-6FC7-4A2D-9C23-3A304DB8B1F1.png

    Antoninus Pius
    Phrygia, Eucarpia
    AE 16 MM 2.32 grc. 147-161, probably soon after 147
    head of Heracles (youthful) wearing lion-scalp, r. “ƐΥΚΑΡΠƐΩΝ”
    Telesphorus standing, facing “ƐΠΙ Γ ΚΛ ΦΛΑΚΚοΥ”


    1ABD84F1-7363-4712-9BBD-C780AECD2A8A.png


    Faustina I
    Æ-As, 138/141, Rome; 10.29 G. Draped bust R.//Concordia sits L. With Patera, the L. Elbow supported on statue of Spes, under the throne cornucopia. BMC 1127; CoH. 149 var.; Ric 1086 var.


    After all of the things this guy has done for us let's show off some of our coins for and of him. Please show em if ya got em!
     
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  3. Nathan401

    Nathan401 Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

    Awesome coins(as usual), I have an AR Denarius that I got at a show awhile back. 2A5D5278-6882-4AA2-8835-CBF9C0443129.jpeg 5FB93857-1CA8-4BFA-9B35-7E9893369258.jpeg I don’t have the attribution handy
     
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  4. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I've only got one Antonius Pius denarius and it is a sad one at that. He reminds me of a zombie.
    Antonius Pius Denarius COS III.jpg
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
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  5. Ken Dorney

    Ken Dorney Yea, I'm Cool That Way...

    I like coins of Antoninus Pius and have lots of them. A plus is that some rarities cost much less than others, often because people just skim by. I picked this sestertius up recently. Uber cool in that he is depicted as the bringer of peace and war (thought that is a debatable interpretation):

    6615.jpg
     
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  6. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    If you consider the coins of Antoninus Pius boring maybe you should consider getting a reverse type that is less boring. He has several thousand coins and only 95% of them are boring. Top drawer ones like the fanciest Alexandrian drachms in high grade are very expensive (I have none of them). We must decide on how soon, how fine and how interesting we must have. The coins below were good enough for me. Your mileage may vary. All have been posted here before. I have relatively few coins of Pius.... I hear he is boring. :joyful:
    rc2120bb2053.jpg rc2155fd2183.jpg rc2182fd3429.jpg rc2190bb0618.jpg pa0262fd3472.jpg
     
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  7. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Those are pretty non-boring @dougsmit ! I particularly like #2 and #4.
     
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  8. AncientJoe

    AncientJoe Well-Known Member

    As evidenced by my avatar, I care about AP!
     
  9. AncientJoe

    AncientJoe Well-Known Member

    Doug isn't overselling how challenging it is to add some of Pius' iconic bronze types (Zodiac and Labors of Hercules). There have been a couple significant runs of exceptionally nice examples in recent years (read: VF/about VF in grade - that's as nice as they come).

    Alas, I've been outbid on every example. Some were heartbreaking to miss out on but we all need to have our limits.
     
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  10. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Of course the title is tongue in cheek. Could we see the reverse of that bad boy (or should I say "good" boy?).
     
  11. AncientJoe

    AncientJoe Well-Known Member

    Sure, I haven't posted it in a long time. Pedigree is ex-Biaggi and the Calico plate coin:

    AntoninusPius.jpg
     
  12. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..well happy b day AP...:) Dupondius Anton Pius ficher price toy radio Romans choo choo 003.JPG Dupondius Anton Pius ficher price toy radio Romans choo choo 002.JPG
     
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  13. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Nice coins....

    I have a couple of rough AP sestertius

    PIUS Merge.jpg Pius Pillar MERGE.jpg
     
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  14. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

    Some more boring AP coins.
    2 Sestertii with Felicitas(left) and Annona(right) on the reverse:

    2x ap.jpg
    P1180688.JPG
     
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  15. Ken Dorney

    Ken Dorney Yea, I'm Cool That Way...

    Last Pius Aureus I had was this one, last seen in Gemini auction last year. Before that me, and M&M in 1962. It sold over double what I sold it for in 2000. One reason I no longer buy gold!

    Pius.jpg
     
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  16. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    A calm time in Roman history...Not boring just cool!
    I've got a couple ...Big and small...
    Small...
    Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161) AR denarius, struck AD 145-161. Rome mint.
    Obverse..ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP,(Antoninus Augustus Pius Father of the people) laureate head right
    Reverse..TR POT COS IIII,(Tribune of the people 4 times Consul) Liberalitas standing left, holding abacus and cornucopiae, LIB IIII across the fields.
    RIC 155 type 1
    1-normal_ANTOBREV.jpg
    And the big'n
    ANTONINUS PIUS. 138-161 AD. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 26.75 g.)
    Struck 159/160 AD.
    Obverse..ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIII, laureate head right
    Rev. PIETATI AVG COS IIII SC, Pietas standing left holding globe, Faustina Junior as Pietas standing left, between Faustina Minima, Lucilla & holding baby Fadilla.
    RIC III 1031
    1-normal_1-Pq3EL2XdbJ9QF5pkPxE6f89ZTY4gn7.jpg
     
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  17. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    What a fun thread. I do like Antoninus Pius coins - abundant and affordable (sometimes). It's nice to see them all together like this.

    Here is a recent scruffy sestertius that I was rather excited to find lacks the "PIVS" - not from wear, but, if my attribution is correct, because it was minted before he was awarded that honorific:

    Antoninus Pius - Sest. Pax Aug 2019 (0).jpg

    Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
    (138 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    [IMP CAES] AELIVS ANTONINVS AVG, bare head right / [PONT MAX TR POT COS] S [C], Pax standing left, holding branch & cornucopiae.
    RIC 519a; Cohen 660.
    (23.22 grams / 30 mm)
     
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  18. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I have the roughest of rough Antoninus Pius sestertius as well. This and the denarius are my only 2 AP coins.
    Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius 138-161 AD Winged Thunderbolt Reverse.jpg
     
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  19. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Well he did build the Antonine Wall - the closest thing to war during his time in office.
     
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  20. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    Yeah, unfortunately a sane and temperate leader who presided over an era of peace and prosperity doesn't make for exciting stories. Here's a posthumous denarius featuring his funeral pyre:
    Antoninus Pius pyre.jpg
     
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  21. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Antoninius "Tony" Pius Ae Sestertius 145 A.D. Rv. Pius seated on a platform distributing largess to citizen. RIC 774 28.79 grms 30 mm piuss18.jpg
     
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