Hadrian, AE As, LIBERALITAS AVG

[b]Attribution:[/b] RIC 729 variant (RIC II) [b]Date:[/b] 117-138 AD [b]Obverse:[/b] HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS laureate heroic bust left [b]Reverse:[/b] LIBERALITAS AVG COS III PP Liberalitas with cornucopiae [b]Size:[/b] 28mm [b]Weight:[/b] 11.45 grams Ex Ephesus [b]Date:[/b] 117-138 AD [b]Obverse:[/b] HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS laureate heroic bust left [b]Reverse:[/b] LIBERALITAS AVG COS III PP Liberalitas with cornucopiae [b]Size:[/b] 28mm [b]Weight:[/b] 11.45 grams [b]Comments from Curtis Clay...[/b] [i]c. 129-131 AD according to my reconstruction, assuming an approximately even production of denarii year by year from 128-138. I see no likelihood in Mattingly's assumption that the mint of Rome struck few coins while Hadrian was away on his second great tour of the provinces, which would result in a later date for your coin. The coinage of 128-138 is very difficult to date, because the coins bear no titles that specify the year of striking and virtually none of the events commemorated - such as the largesse on your coin - can be firmly dated from other sources. That's a very fine As, and rather scarce too I think, especially with portrait left.[/i] [b]and also...[/b] [i]Strack, Hadrian 819, reports this middle bronze with head laureate left, maybe just like Brian's, from the St. Pertersburg collection.[/i]