Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 1464. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $3700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

HADRIAN. 117-138 AD. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm (10.98 g, 7h). Nicomedia mint. Struck after 128 AD. IMP CAES TRA HADRIANO AVG P P, diademed head right / S P R/COM BIT in two lines across field, octastyle temple set on three-tiered podium, ROM S P AVG across frieze, shield in pediment, pellet between central columns. Cf. RIC II 462b (for rev. type); cf. Metcalf, Cistophori, type B12-13 (for rev. type); cf. BMCRE 1098 (for rev. type); RSC -. Good VF. Struck from an exceptionally artistic obverse die. Unique with diadem within the entire cistorphoric series of Hadrian. ($2000)

This unique diademed portrait is particularly interesting given Hadrian's philhellenic tendencies.