Antoninus Pius augustus, 138 – 161

Medallion 151-152, Æ 35 mm, 35.23 g. ANTONINVS AVG – PIVS P P TR P XV Laureate head r. Rev. Heracles standing facing, grabbing Antaeus with his two hands and lifting him off the ground; in r. field, rocky ground and in l. field, club, lion-skin and quiver close to a tree. C –. Gnecchi –. Toynbee –.
Apparently unique and unrecorded. A very interesting and appealing reverse
composition. Brown tone gently smoothed, otherwise good very fine

Privately purchased from Edward J. Waddell. From the Dr. Briggs Braillar collection.

Graded XF strike 5/5, surface 4/5 - NGC certification number 4276112-0046

On the reverse of this unique medallion is illustrated the fight between Hercules and Antaeus. A giant of Libya and the son of Poseidon and Gaia (the earth goddess), Antaeus would challenge travelers to wrestling matches, easily killing his opponents and collecting their bones to construct a temple to his father. Antaeus had defeated most of his opponents until it came to his fight with Hercules. He met him during his way to the Garden of Hesperides to complete his eleventh labor. Upon finding that he could not beat Antaeus by throwing him to the ground as he would reheal due to his parentage (Gaia), Hercules discovered the secret of his power. Holding Antaeus aloft, Hercules crushed him in a bearhug.