Ancients: Hadrian (AD 117-138). AE sestertius (32mm, 26.98 gm, 6h). NGC AU★ 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style, owner's mark....

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Enigmatic Owner's Mark, Ex Ars Classica, 1934

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AE sestertius (32mm, 26.98 gm, 6h). NGC AU★ 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style, owner's mark. Rome, AD 134-138. HADRIANVS-AVG COS III P P, laureate, draped bust of Hadrian right, seen from behind; collector's mark: crowned C in incuse oval punch left field / RESTITVTORI PHRYGIAE, Hadrian standing facing (on right), head left, volumen in left hand, raising kneeling Phrygia (on left) with right hand; SC in exergue. Banti 682 (this coin). Havercamp, Numophylacium Reginae Christinae (The Hague, 1742), p. 63, pl. XIII, no. XXIII. RIC II.3 1891 (same dies). Very rare. Struck from truly superb Fine Style dies. Umber toning with orichalcum highlights. A magnificent specimen.

From the Mirabilis Collection. Ex Künker, Auction 347 (22 March 2021), lot 433; acquired in 2009 in Berlin; Sir Arthur J. Evans Collection (Ars Classica XVII, 1934), lot 1422.

Four other specimens with the collector's mark "crowned C" are known; all are Imperial-era sestertii, and the mark is in the same position on all of them. In the 19th century, the mark was commonly attributed to Queen Christina of Sweden (hence the Havercamp reference), but this attribution was refuted at the beginning of the 20th century. King Christian IV of Denmark and Charles I of Englandhave also been considered, however, these attributions are also highly improbable. Even after almost 100 years, Max von Bahrfeldt's observation remains valid: we are not entirely clear about the meaning of the collector's mark. See Bahrfeldt, Max von, Collector's Marks on Coins, in: BfM 1923, pp. 456 ff.

Unlike many emperors who ruled from Rome, Hadrian spent much of his reign visiting the provinces to strengthen frontiers, oversee military defenses, and promote cultural unity. He journeyed through Gaul, Britain, where he ordered the construction of Hadrian's Wall, then to Spain, North Africa, Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt. His travels reflected both administrative diligence and personal curiosity, as he admired Greek culture and supported architectural projects throughout the empire. These journeys not only reinforced Roman presence and order but also expressed Hadrian's vision of a cohesive and well-governed empire.

Not all of the provinces are represented in each denomination. Phrygia is one of the more difficult provinces to obtain from Hadrian's travel series, and is not known in gold or silver.

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