Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P COS III;
Laureate Bust of the Emperor Facing Right
Reverse: GENIO SENATVS; Genius of the Senate
Standing Towards the Left, Holding a Branch and
a Scepter
Antoninus Pius is regarded as one of the "Five
Good Emperors" in Roman history. He was born
in 86 AD. Around 133-136, he served in Asia as
proconsul, and there he earned the respect of
Emperor Hadrian. After Hadrian's return from the
Jewish war, Antoninus was made a member of
his council not only on grounds of friendships
and family connection, but also because of his
experience as a jurist and administrator. After
the sudden death of Lucius Aelius Caesar,
Antoninus was officially adopted by Hadrian on
February 25, 138 as successor to the throne.
After administering the imperial offices, Hadrian
died and Antoninus became emperor. Antoninus
married Faustina and they had four children: two
sons and two daughters. However, only one
daughter was alive at the time of his adoption by
Hadrian. Later, he adopted Marcus Aurelius, who
was to be the successor to his throne. In 139, he
gave to Marcus the name of Caesar and made
him consul designate. In 146, Aurelius was
recognized as Antoninus's colleague in rule, and
the hopes of Rome and the fortunes of the
dynasty rested upon him. Antoninus managed to
govern the empire capably and yet with such a
gentle hand that he earned the respect, acclaim,
and love of his subjects.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the
coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before us, or
where the coin will venture to after it leaves our
hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of
the state that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary currencies or
artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This
stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise
of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail
that is often lacking in contemporary machine-
made currencies. This coin is a memorial to an
ancient emperor passed from the hands of
civilization to civilization, from generation to
generation that appears as vibrant today as the
day it was struck.
- (C.4040)
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