Modern Silver Pendant with Ancient Roman Antoninus Pius denarius (No reserve price)

ITEM: Modern pendant with Antoninus Pius denarius
MATERIAL: Silver
CULTURE: Roman
PERIOD: 2nd Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 19 mm diameter
CONDITION: Good condition. Original coin within a modern handmade circular silver setting.
PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection, acquired in the 1990s (Coin)

Comes with Certificate of Authenticity.

COIN DESCRIPTION: Divus Antoninus Pius Denarius 18 mm 3,28 gr. . DIVVS ANTONINVS, bare head right / CONSECRATIO Pyre in four tiers, decorated with garlands and statues, door in second tier, facing quadriga on top. RIC III 436 [Aurelius]; RSC 164; BMCRE 57-59.

Antoninus Pius, who reigned from 138 to 161 CE, is celebrated as one of the "Five Good Emperors" and presided over what is often considered the peak of the Roman Empire's prosperity and stability—the Pax Romana. Born Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Antoninus, his ascent was secured through adoption by Emperor Hadrian, contingent on Antoninus in turn adopting the future emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. He earned the epithet "Pius" (meaning "dutiful," "pious," or "respectful") from the Senate shortly after his accession, either for preventing the Senate from posthumously condemning Hadrian's memory or for his devotion to the state and traditional Roman values. His nearly 23-year rule was remarkably peaceful and free from major wars or internal strife, a rarity in Roman imperial history.

Unlike his military-focused predecessors, Antoninus Pius distinguished himself by focusing on internal administration, legal reform, and finance rather than aggressive conquest. He rarely left Italy, governing the empire through careful attention to provincial issues and maintaining excellent relations with the Roman Senate, which restored a sense of senatorial dignity. His most notable military undertaking was the construction of the Antonine Wall in Britain, built north of Hadrian's Wall around 142 CE to mark a brief advance into Caledonia, though this border was eventually abandoned. His reign is also noted for his generous public spending, providing financial aid to various communities and funding numerous building projects in Rome, including the restoration of temples and the construction of his daughter Faustina's mausoleum.

Antoninus Pius died peacefully at his ancestral estate at Lorium in 161 CE, having achieved the second-longest reign since Augustus. His carefully managed succession was the culmination of the adoptive system championed by the "Five Good Emperors." In his final hours, he handed the state and his daughter to Marcus Aurelius and, when asked for the password by the night-watch tribune, his last recorded word was reportedly "aequanimitas" (equanimity or composure)—a perfect summation of his entire reign. Though often overlooked in favor of his philosophical successor, Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius left a legacy of balanced governance, judicial fairness, and a treasury in good order, providing a stable foundation that allowed the Empire to weather the greater crises that followed.