Hadrian augustus, 117 – 134. Aureus 117-118, AV 7.12 g. IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG G D PART Laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian r. Rev. DIVO TRAIANO – PATRI·AVG· Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Trajan r. C 1. BMC 45. RIC 24b (misdescribed). Calicó 1410 (this coin). Biaggi 563 (this coin).
Very rare. Two attractive portraits struck in high relief,
good very fine /about extremely fine

Ex Santamaria 26-28 June 1950, Magnaguti part III, 106; Leu 25,1980, 257 and NAC 51, 2009, 272 sales. From the Biaggi collection. From the collection of a retired banker.

Early in his reign Hadrian struck a variety of coins that testified to his legitimacy as Rome's new emperor. His most direct link to legitimacy was his adoption by Trajan, and on this rare aureus he has on the obverse his own portrait, and on the reverse that of the deified Trajan, whom he describes as his father. The first aureus struck by Hadrian that featured a portrait of Trajan on the reverse is attributed to 117 (see NAC 24, 2002, lot 80) when Hadrian held the rank of Caesar; it does not describe Trajan as deified and it must have been struck shortly before Trajan died. Unlike that first aureus, this one was struck after Hadrian's regime had been firmly established, thanks to the support (or possible foul play) of Trajan's widow Plotina, who for many years had been a supporter of Hadrian.