Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ As (27mm, 12.11 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 148-149. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII, laureate head right / MVNIFICENTIA • AVG, elephant walking left, wearing ornamental covering (cuirass?); COS IIII/S C in two lines in exergue. RIC III 863; BMCRE 1840 var. (elephant right); Cohen 564. Near VF, dark green patina.
With the death of Hadrian's heir, Aelius Caesar, on New Year's Day, AD 138, Antoninus was adopted as the new successor and ascended the imperial throne on July 10. The coinage of Antoninus' reign was issued not only in the emperor's name but also in that of his wife, Faustina Senior, the Caesar Marcus Aurelius, and Pius’ daughter, Faustina Junior, who married Aurelius in 145. This exceptional copper as is dated by the years of Antoninus' tribunician power (TR P XII) to the 12-month period beginning 10 December 148 AD. The reverse depicts an elephant, clad in some kind of ornamental covering, accompanied by an inscription proclaiming the emperor's liberality (Munificentia Augusti). The reference is to the staging of wild beast shows in the arena of the Amphitheatrum Flavium, better known today as the Colosseum, on the occasion of the celebration of Rome's 900th anniversary in 147/148 AD.
