Two Rarer Hadrian Denarii

I really only collect a few things now, like unofficial Siscian VLPP's and Ostrogoth and Vandal coinage.

There are always rare examples to be found...of course, the more found, the less rare they become. Right now, I have more than 80 coins that are not in RIC (though many are listed in other references), but they are certainly not equally rare. For example, you can find plenty of coins with workshops not listed in RIC, versus something like an unrecorded reverse type or bust or obverse legend.

the coin below is not in RIC




it is the only example of Constantine not wearing a helmet on the VLPP series, out of all the mints that issued this coin. Though not in RIC, it is documented in other books like the Bikic- Do hoard and Ferrando's book on the Arles mint. Over the years I have seen 12 examples and I am sure I have missed a few, so there must easily be a few more. If 10 more examples exist this coin would be common (C1 22-30) by RIC standards. Still a tough coin to find, but not nearly as rare as "Not in RIC" implies.

It does sound funny, but it makes the point that the emperor is not just running aroung without clothes, he is actually being heroic.

my earliest Hadrian has a bit of a Trajanic feel about. The year that this was struck, Hadrian was not even in Rome, he was in the East. This coin also honors Trajan (who adopted Hadrian) on the obverse (DIVI TRA) and Nerva (who adopted Trajan) on the reverse (DIVI NERV)







Hadrian
A.D. 117
AR Denarius
17x19mm 3.3gm
IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO AVG DIVI TRA; laureate, heroically nude bust of Hadrian right, with drapery on left shoulder.
PARTH F DIVI NER NEP P M TP P COS; Concordia seated left, holding patera: under her chair, a cornucopiae, under her elbow a statue of Spes.
In ex. CONCORD
RIC II Rome 9



you can compare with this coin issued a bit later which has the same bust type and reverse




Hadrian
A.D. 119- 122
AR Denarius
19x20mm 2.9gm
IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG; laureate bust right, with drapery on left shoulder.
P M TR P COS III; Concordia seated left, holding patera: under her chair, a cornucopiae, under her elbow a statue of Spes.
In ex. CONCORD
RIC II Rome 118