Hadrian, 117-138. Semis (Orichalcum, 19 mm, 4.81 g, 7 h), Rome mint, for Caesarea, 124 or 130/1. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS Radiate head of Hadrian to right, with aegis on his left shoulder. Rev. COS III Mount Argaios surmounted by statue of Sol-Helios, radiate, holding globe in his right hand and long scepter with his left. Cohen -, cf. 457 (laureate and without aegis). Henseler -, cf. X29a var. (without aegis). RIC -. RPC III -, cf. 3158-9 (differing bust types). Sydenham -, cf. 290a (laureate and without aegis). An unpublished variety of a very rare type. A lovely piece with an attractive green patina and a fine pedigree. Slightly smoothed, otherwise, very fine.


While usually being attributed to Caesarea, the style of the very rare small bronzes of Hadrian with Latin legends showing the Mount Argaios is clearly that of Rome. It is generally believed that the Rome mint shipped its dies to the East in such cases to have the coins struck on the spot, but the fact that RPC records an obverse die match between an Argaios-semis and a regular Rome mint piece in Vienna with a modius on the reverse (RPC III 3159.3 resp. BMC p. 442*) strongly indicates that all semisses were struck in Rome. The emergence of a local motive on a Roman Imperial coin is, in any case, very unusual and the coins may have been struck to commemorate Hadrian's visit to Cappadocia in 124 or 130/1.