Important British and World Coins

Hadrian (117-138), Sestertius, 119, Rome, laureate bust right, showing bare shoulder and chest, slight drapery on left shoulder, rev. lictor standing left, holding fasces and lighting pile of records with a torch, 27.66g/1h (RIC 590; BMC 1206 var; Sear 3626); together with other ancient coins (2, one in silver) [3]. First slightly smoothed on reverse, otherwise very fine with green-brown patina, rare, others in varied state (£1,200-1,500)

First only illustrated. The reverse indicates that old debts, or reliqua, to the sum of 9,000 sestertia (i.e. 900 million sestertii) have been cancelled and shows a lictor setting light to heaped documents, or stipulationes (promissory notes to the treasury), an event recorded in an inscription from Trajan’s Forum, the site of Hadrian’s act of munificence