Hadrian, 117-138. Denarius (Subaeratus, 19 mm, 2.64 g, 6 h), uncertain mint in the East, circa 130-135. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Laureate head of Hadrian to right, with slight drapery on his left shoulder. Rev. COS III Veiled Pudicitia seated left on throne, holding her right hand before her face and placing her left on her lap. BMC -. RIC -. Strack -. Apparently unpublished. An interesting piece struck from exceptionally fine dies. Some breaks in plating, otherwise, about extremely fine.


Stylistic comparison reveals that this beautiful coin was issued in one of Hadrian's enigmatic eastern mints, much like the impressive piece in Web Auction 24 (2022), 2817, with which it shares the obverse die. In fact, the issuing of subaerati appears to have been common practice in Hadrian's eastern mints, hinting perhaps at a lack of supply of silver in the region at that time.