ANTONINUS PIUS
AD 138-161
AR Denarius. 3.22g, 17.7mm
MINTED: Rome mint, AD 155
REF: RIC 239; Cohen 292
OBVERSE: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVIII, head laureate right.
REVERSE: COS IIII, Annona standing left, holding two wheat ears and resting left hand on modius set on prow.
 
Provenance:
Ex Cardinal Joachim Meisner Collection, with old collector's handwritten tag
Cardinal Meisner (1933-2017) was a leading figure in the Roman Catholic church, serving as Archbishop of Cologne from 1989 to 2014.  He was a close friend to both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.  After he passed away in 2017, his private collection of antiquities was auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Cardinal Meisner Foundation of Cologne.
 
Notes:
Attractive old collection toning.  Sightly irregular flan.  
Annona was the goddess of grain supply and her appearance on Imperial coinage represented the emperor's divine ability to provide for the people. 
 
Historical Notes:
Antoninus Pius ruled for 23 years and is counted amongst the 'Five Good Emperors' of Rome during the 2nd century AD.  Even though he was not the first (or even second) choice of his predecessor Hadrian to succeed him, the 52-year old Pius was widely respected by his colleagues in the Senate and as emperor would become very popular with the people. 
 
His reign was a time of peace and prosperity for the empire, and he was himself an intelligent, moderate, and fair-minded ruler.  Pius enacted laws that protected slaves and exercised clemency against those who spoke or plotted against him.  He also avoided heavily taxing the people, and carefully managed the state finances. His death of natural causes in 160 at the age of 75 was cause for great mourning amongst the people.