Kinda hard to see from picture, but in hand can make out salonina avg. I' h trouble finding a match for this coin online. Any ideas?
Accepting your description of the obverse, the reverse appears to show Vesta standing holding victory in right hand and sceptre in left. The Legend reads VESTA, but the only examples of this 'pose' that I can find have the (full) legend of VESTA AETERNA. Good luck.
Interesting! I'm not that knowledgeable about Roman Imperials, but checking ACsearch doesn't turn up any Salonina ants with Vesta reverses in which she is standing and holding a palladium and with the legend simply VESTA. There are plenty her seated on a throne, holding palladium, but the legend is longer. Is it possible that she is seated on your coin, and that her body just isn't very "folded" or the wear is such that she appears to be standing? If not, maybe this is a mule, a mint boo-boo, or an unofficial coin? I await more learned responses
To be honest, it doesn't look like a very convincing Victory, but that might just be an artifact of the photo. Does it look more like Victory in hand? There are several examples of Salonina with VESTA standing reverses on Wildwinds, but they all have her holding a patera instead of a Victory. So yours is either a variant of one of these, or she is actually holding a patera, but there is a blob--due either to encrustation or a die flaw--obscuring it.
Really doesn't look like like shes sitting, the scepter is seen going straight down rather than transverse across the body. Almost identical to the coin below can even see the bent leg: I believe your hypothesis of a mule coin to be likely here.
VESTA with palladium reverse as found on a Julia Domna coin. (Courtesy CNG) Is the obverse of the OP coin Salonina or Julia Domna?
about 99% sure its salonina, Julia mamaea as well as Domna both have these reverse types. Possibly a mule with a reverse die from those eras? could be a stretch.