2019-01-05 Sat

Davissons Ltd. is auctioning a gold aureus of Antoninus Pius, graded NGC Choice Extremely Fine, Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5, for an estimated value of $6,500. Struck between 143 and 144 A.D. at Rome Mint, the 7.13 grams Gold coin has a diameter of 19 millimetres and features a winged Victory holding a trophy. The bidding for this coin will end on 27th February.

Emperor Hadrian wanted to build a wall in Roman Britain. Many other Roman kings had marked their territorial conquests by building walls and other structures. The emperor asked his military force to start attacking northward around A.D. 141. After the victory, a 39-mile-long Antonine Wall was built almost 99 miles north of Hadrian’s wall. Antoninus was declared the Imperator by Senate for the second time in A.D. 143. The offered coin was issued to commemorate this victory.

Experts believe that the campaign was conducted to get political mileage during the early years of the king’s rule. The territorial conquests were not as important as an opportunity to mint a commemorative coin. The wall was only protecting barren land. Moreover, it was abandoned just eight years after it was built. The wall was repaired by Septimius Severus in A.D. 208, which is why it’s also called the Severan Wall at times.

Image Courtesy: Davissons Auctions