Gemini III, January 9th, 2007
Lot # 387. Estimate: US$15000.

Antinous, Favorite of Hadrian. Framed bronze medallion, 58 
mm: medallion 37 mm; circular frame 10-11 mm (103 gm). 
Bithynia, Nicomedia. 
ANTINOOC HPWC, bare head right.
H MHTROPOLEWC NIKOMHDEIA, bull standing right. 
Blum, Antinoos, p. 45, 1; pl. III.2 (probably same dies, 
but reverse legend reworked); SNG Aulock 7102 (same obverse die). Strong portrait. Some reverse porosity. Very 
fine/fine. 

Circular bronze frames, often with grooves or other 
decorations, have been found on some Roman bronze coins 
from Augustus on, and on occasional Roman bronze medallions 
from Hadrian onwards.
Frames on provincial bronze coins are quite exceptional, 
although another example is known for Antinous, on a 
medallion of Tarsus in Paris (Blum p. 53, 13). Frames made 
coins more impressive and decorative, but it is untrue that 
coins were framed to use them on military standards. 

© 2006 Gemini, LLC 
Lot 387 was unsold.
 
Re-used by permission of Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com) 
and Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)