Watch List notes:

JDL Collection Part II: Roman Coins
THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

ANTONINUS PIUS, July 10, 138 – March 7, 161.

Sestertius, Rome 140–144, Æ 28.72 g.
Obv. ANTONINVS AVG PI–VS P P TR P COS III Laureate
head of Antoninus Pius right; border of dots.
Rev. AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS / S C Bare head of
young Marcus Aurelius left; border of dots.
Literature
Cohen (Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius) 33 BMC RE IV, 195, 1214, pl. 27, 9
RIC III, 171, 1214
Banti 16
M.-M. Bendenoun, Coins of the Ancient World, A portrait of the JDL Collection, Tradart, Genève, 2009, 62 (this coin)
Condition
Very rare. In exceptional condition for the issue and among the finest specimens known. Two bold portraits struck in high relief on a very broad flan, brown tone and good extremely fine.

Provenance
Tkalec & Rauch AG, Zurich 1987, lot 302.
On this dynastic sestertius Antoninus Pius offers evidence of his intent to fulfill a solemn oath he had made to his predecessor, Hadrian, to preserve the throne for that emperor's intended heirs Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, both of whom were believed too young at the time to effectively perform the duties of empe- ror. Far more suitable a choice at that time was the middle-aged nobleman Antoninus Pius, who over the next 23 years ruled admirably and acted as guardian for his two eventual heirs.
Antoninus groomed both young men for the roles they were destined to inherit. In doing so, he continued the recent trend in Rome of adoptive successions by childless emperors. Since An- toninus never once left Italy during his principate, he had ample chance to oversee the development of his heirs. He expedited the career of Marcus Aurelius, who was hailed Caesar in 139, and in 140, while age 18, held the first of his three consulships as Caesar.
During these early years Marcus Aurelius lived in the palace and was virtually inseparable from Antoninus. He broke his earlier marriage plan to be betrothed to one of the emperor's daughters, Faustina Junior, whom he married in 145. Indeed, it was not long after his marriage that Marcus Aurelius whole- heartedly embraced Stoic philosophy, a devotion for which he would become famous. In addition to fulfilling duties to his
nation, Marcus Aurelius also devoted energies toward creating a large family. By the time Antoninus died in March of 161 both of his heirs were suitably qualified to collect their inheri- tance, with Marcus Aurelius being just a few weeks shy of his 40th birthday and his colleague Lucius Verus having just recently turned 30.