An interesting find

[Rich Beale]

Hadrian Denarius. HADRIANVS AVGVST, laureate bust right / COS III, Roma standing left holding Victory and spear. RIC -, C -.

From what I can tell, this obverse legend is unrecorded for this type, and indeed seems to be extremely rare. The only known reference of this legend I can find is on RIC 193 (wolf suckling twins), and even then is only known because Cohen quotes a variant of the usual obverse - HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS.

Has anyone encountered this obverse legend before?

[curtislclay]

The observation of this rare obv. legend for Hadrian is mainly due to Strack, Hadrian, nos. 140-145.

He recorded three spec. of the aureus reported by Cohen, plus five previously unpublished denarius types: Concordia seated, Diana, Libertas, Spes, and, yes, your Roma standing.

Your coin is Strack 143, specimens in Paris, Budapest, Sofia (prob. from Reka Devnia Hoard), and Athens.  The Budapest spec., Strack pl. II, seems to be from the same obv. die as yours, but is from a different rev. die.

All of these denarii are recorded from Strack by H.A. Seaby in his very useful Roman Silver Coins, vol. II.  Your Roma standing coin is his no. 349b.

[Rich Beale]

Thanks Curtis, very interesting and illuminating as always!