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Author Topic: Hadrian Journeys interesting variant  (Read 1187 times)

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Offline timka

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Hadrian Journeys interesting variant
« on: May 09, 2015, 04:37:05 pm »
Hi!

Please have a look at this Hadrian denarius from the journeys series. I bought it just for a nice left draped bust, but after receiving it I realized that it got two additional interesting features. First, the obverse is HADRIANUS AVGUSTUS PP, but not HADRIANUS AVG COS III PP, as usually for the Journeys series. Second, there are two strange letters in the end of the reverse legend – RESTITUTORI HISPANIA + (RE, or rather RL(?), as the style of E? is not as that of E that in the first word of the reverse legend).

Cohen 1262 (and then RIC 388) described this variant  with the left bust and uncommon obverse legend for this series (referring to Paris specimen).  BM has 16 various types of RESTITUTORI HISPANIAE, but none with this type of obverse legend and draped left bust – so it should be a rare variant. 

What do you think, is it just a typo on the  reverse, or it has some meaning?

18 mm – 2,76 g – 180’

Thank you for your time,

Z.

Offline Charles S

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Re: Hadrian Journeys interesting variant
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2015, 07:19:00 am »
Hi Timka,

I think this is a very unusual variant.  Strack does not list the obv. legend in any combination with a restitutori reverse.  The rev. legend RESTITVTORI HISPANIARE is unlisted.   

Charles
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Offline curtislclay

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Re: Hadrian Journeys interesting variant
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2015, 05:40:19 pm »
This denarius seems to be Eastern, not mint of Rome.

Your specimen is from the same dies as the Paris coin described by Cohen 1262, as shown by its illustration in Strack, pl. XVIII, *65.

Strack knew only the Paris specimen of this exact coin, but he knew the same obv. die combined with two other rev. types, namely COS III Minerva standing left and P M TR P COS III Liberalitas standing right emptying cornucopia, both of which he also illustrated alongside the RESTITVTORI coin on his pl. XVIII, in order to demonstrate the obv. die identity.

Both Cohen and Strack overlooked the error in the rev. legend that you point out, however: HISPANIARE has an extra letter, should be just HISPANIAE !
Curtis Clay

Offline timka

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Re: Hadrian Journeys interesting variant
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2015, 12:35:26 am »
…I like the Easter mint idea - as the letters style, as well as the rev. error :), suggest this could be an Eastern mint.  I also figured one specimen of this coin (Cohen 1262) in Reka Devnia hoard - but it was in the Varna part, not Sofia. May be that is why it was not reported by Stack along with Paris  specimen, as Stack seemed to visit only Sofia collection.  

Charles, Curtis, thank you for your contributions!

Z.

Offline Charles S

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Re: Hadrian Journeys interesting variant
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2015, 04:05:28 am »
Your specimen is from the same dies as the Paris coin described by Cohen 1262, as shown by its illustration in Strack, pl. XVIII, *65.
I must admit, I am not yet very familiar with Strack's catalogue volume on Hadrian's coinage, which is why I overlooked the section on Eastern mint issues at the end of the catalogue.
Charles Schotman

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Offline okidoki

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Re: Hadrian Journeys interesting variant
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2015, 11:18:10 am »
very nice special coin you have there, my Hadrian collectors heart loves theese specials.

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All the Best,
Eric
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