Hadrian “PIETAS” Denarius — Certificate of Authenticity

Analysis & Expertise

Silver denarius of Hadrian, struck at Rome in AD 118, whose collector’s interest lies at the intersection of an early-reign portrait — still firmly anchored in the transitional titulature “Traian” — and a reverse depicting Pietas in a clear civic language. This typological combination is solidly established in the corpora and museum references under BMC 82 / Cohen 1027 / RIC 127, with occasional modern renumberings depending on the edition, without affecting recognition of the type through its legends and figural markers.

Careful observation under ×10 magnification and raking light reveals a silver flan of regular module, bordered by continuous peripheral beading, with a nuanced grey patina and fine, ancient traces of circulation. The obverse preserves very comfortable readability of the laureate portrait — clearly hierarchized volumes of forehead, eye, and nose, with visible ties of the wreath — while the reverse presents a veiled Pietas whose gesture is immediately legible, the right hand raised according to the type, with the legend PIE–TAS arranged in the field on either side of the figure. These elements anchor the attribution in directly verifiable features.

Characteristics

Authority / Period: Hadrian (117–138).

Mint / Date: Rome, 118.

Denomination / Metal: Denarius, silver (AR).

Diameter / Weight: 19 mm; 3.34 g (communicated data).

Obverse (type and legend): IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate head right, with slight drapery visible on the left shoulder, a bust detail expressly noted for this type.

Reverse (type and legend): P M TR P COS II, veiled Pietas standing (head turned left), right hand raised; inscription PIE–TAS in the field.

References: BMC 82; Cohen 1027; RIC 127 (with corresponding renumberings in modern editions).

Historical Context

This type belongs to the inaugural sequence of the reign, when the new prince, while affirming his dynastic name in the titulature, foregrounded a public virtue immediately intelligible: Pietas — that is, civic piety and fidelity to duties toward the gods, the state, and the community. The theme is particularly consistent with the image of a government presenting itself as ordered, legitimate, and protective.

Cultural Value

For the collector, this piece unites a portrait of Hadrian sought after for its stylistic clarity at the beginning of the principate with a reverse of strong symbolic density, where the veiled figure of Pietas offers an “institutional” reading of Roman virtue. It thus represents a particularly harmonious choice for an Antonine collection, a series devoted to personifications, or a thematic ensemble dedicated to civic virtues expressed through Roman silver coinage.

Traceability & Guarantees

The provenance is European, from an established numismatic dealer, and the acquisition was conducted through a specialized international transaction within a recognized numismatic network, validated according to the highest standards of the art and heritage market. The attribution rests on concordance of legends and iconographic arrangement with the published references BMC 82 / Cohen 1027 / RIC 127, as recorded in museum notices and consultable numismatic documentation.

Each specimen is examined, described, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the standards of the art and heritage market. The present notice remains strictly grounded in observable elements and published references, so that the collector’s confidence rests upon a fully verifiable foundation.

Ref: 6FE7EYMLOM