Hadrian, 117-138. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.00 g, 6 h), Rome, circa 130-133. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Bare head of Hadrian to right. Rev. HISPANIA Hispania reclining left, holding branch in her right hand and resting her left elbow on rock; below her left elbow, rabbit to right. BMC 846. Cohen 822. RIC 1535. Beautifully toned and with an illustrious pedigree. Scratches and with a few light deposits, otherwise, about very fine.



Apostolo Zeno (1668-1750) was a Venetian librettist and humanist who worked as poet laureate in Vienna in 1715-1729, where he also curated the imperial coin collection of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (1685-1740). His collection was preserved for more than two-hundred years, until eventually being sold by Dorotheum in 1955, thus forming one of the oldest and most celebrated pedigrees in ancient numismatics.