I wish the Hadrian Sestertius pictured below was real, but unfortunately it is a replica - I have grown weary trying to to find a decent genuine coin and I have long desired to post this story - so please excuse the substitution. The 1929 British penny is real however. Here is the story: https://www.royalmint.com/discover/britannia/britannia-on-british-coins/ RIC Vol. II, HADRIAN, Sestertius, No. 845 Obverse: Hadrian, laureate head right Inscription: HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP Reverse: Britannia seated half left with feet on rocks holding sceptre with shield to right Inscription: BRITANNIA - SC (in exergue) BRITISH 1920s PENNY (Circulated) Obverse: George V, bare headed, facing left Inscription: GEORGIVS V DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP Reverse: Britannia wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right, holding trident with left hand and supporting shield with right hand Inscription: ONE PENNY - 1929 (in exergue) I hope a member of this Forum will post a genuine Hadrian Britannia Sestertius (or As) image to this thread.
Im not that big into british coinage but I like how they've kept the same basic pucture of Brittania since ancient times.
Thanks for the post - I see CNG sold a Hadrian Britannia Sestertius in their 2010 Triton XIII sale I found a list here of Roman coinage depicting Britannia but wonder if it's complete? Goddess Britannia
Thank you very much for your excellent post, @dadams! I missed that CNG offering, but the $30,000 hammer price was far too rich for my blood anyway!! - (maybe that price was a mistake - I would have gone for $3000). I was not familiar with that Goddess Britannia reference either, but what an extensive reference it is - thank you for posting it also! It will take some digesting, but I will enjoy doing it. I noted the Victory over Britain reverses on those denarii issues of Septimius Severus, Caracalla and Geta plus the use of BRIT in the obverse inscriptions - and also by Commodus on several of his denarius issues. Here are some exemplars: RIC Vol. IV, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, Denarius, No. 335 Obverse: Septimius Severus,, Laureate head facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT Reverse: Victory seated left writing on shield Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT RIC Vol. IV, CARACALLA, Denarius, No. 231a Obverse: Caracalla, Laureate head facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT Reverse: winged Victory advancing right holding trophy Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT RIC Vol. IV, GETA, Denarius, No. 91 Obverse: Geta, Laureate head facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT Reverse: Victory standing left holding wreath and palm branch Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT RIC II, COMMODUS, Denarius, No. 146 Obverse: Commodus, Laureate head facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT Reverse: Pietas standing left, holding a box and dropping incense from a patera onto an altar Inscription: AVCT PIET PM TRP XII IMP VIII COS V PP
Not wanting to hijack this thread ... but the modern rendition of the Britannia of British coinage was modeled by the young and beautiful court-favorite Frances Stuart, the infatuation of King Charles II (The Merry Monarch). http://www.britannia.com/history/articles/francesstuart.html Francis Stuart appeared to have escaped intact from the lecherous and besotted Charles II by eloping with another man. "La Belle Stuart," nevertheless, was used as the model for Britannia for three centuries. Ms. Stuart appeared on copper coinage until its decimalization in 1971.
