Rare Aureus of Aelius

167, Lot: 154. Estimate $7500. Sold for $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Aelius. Caesar, AD 136-138. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.19 g). Rome mint. Struck AD 137. Bare head left / Concordia seated left on throne, holding patera and resting elbow on cornucopiae. RIC II 443c (Hadrian); Calicó 1445. VF, choice, underlying luster, small area of edge damage suggesting possibly ex jewelry. Rare.

In AD 136, Hadrian was suffering ill health and he chose this moment to select his successor, Lucius Ceionius Commodus. Adopted as Lucius Aelius Caesar, Aelius was the first adopted Prince to be called Caesar and his appearance on the coinage was a clear indication that Hadrian intended him to be his heir. Aelius was appointed consul in 136 and again in 137. On 1 January 138 Aelius died of tuberculosis and Hadrian was forced to choose a new heir, Antoninus Pius.