Several Roman coins celebrating deceased prominent personalities, reproduced seven stars on their reverse: for instance, Divus Augustus, Diva Faustina, Diva Paulina. In mythology, Zeus made Helice immortal, as a reward for her service by changing her into seven of the brightest stars in Ursa Major. The individuals commemorated on these special coins had served in public functions and it was hoped that Zeus would also reward them by transposing them into heaven among the constellation. This was initially the case of L.Lucretius Trio, a prominent Roman citizen, former Consul., whose radiate head is shown on the obverse of a Republican denarius with the seven stars and a moon crescent on the reverse. From my collection: LVCRETIA. L. LUCRETIUS TRIO : Radiate head Lucretius or Sol r. Rev: “TRIO / L LVCRETI” Crescent surrounded by seven stars. Mint:Rome. 64 BC. AR.D. gVF. .(3.5 gr./19 mm.), Ref,:Seaby, Lucretia 2,Crawford 390/1 Dear members, please how your seven star coins.
Diva Faustina II: Faustina Jr, AD 161-175 Roman AR denarius; 3.14 g, 17 mm Rome, AD 176 or later Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right Rev: CONSECRATIO, crescent moon around large star, surrounded by six stars Refs: RIC 750; BMCRE 718; Cohen 83; RCV 5219; MIR 63; CRE 172.
SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS I-I laureate head right REVERSE: SAECVL FELICIT dot, seven stars & crescent Struck at Emesa, 194-195 AD 2.95g, 17.5mm RIC 417
Alternately, those depict the Moon in conjuction with the Pleiades. It might have been perceived as an auspicious event. It might just be the Mintmaster's way to note the date of the striking for this issue. The conjunction would have been long previously predicted and therefore expected. See Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins by Dr. Marshall Faintich.
benhur767's example is even more special that most (especially to me as it is a sub-focus area of mine) as it comes from the scarcer AVG II C sub-series. I have Septimius examples from the COS I, COS II and IMP II issues. I don't have a Domna though I have come close a few times.
Thanks, maridvnum. Yes, I am not knowledgeable enough by myself to have known the rarity of this variety without it being pointed out to me. It comes from Harlan J. Berk and based on their description (which I'm pretty sure was written by Curtis Clay), I jumped on it. I'm very interested in the Emesene coins of Severus and Domna, and I have to credit both you and Doug Smith for helping to fuel it. Images and information on Doug's website, and his and your posts in this forum are largely to blame. Anyway, I'm working on this as a subspecialty of my own, but I am really just beginning and admire the vast scope of yours and Doug's collection. I'm waiting for the two of you to collaborate on a reference work. Based on some of your previous posts, I understand that you keep track of dies and have thorough records of the Severan Emesa mint issues beyond those in your own collection. Here is the full description, as I have it, which I should have posted with the image. The photo is my own, and you are welcome to use it if you'd like: Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Emesa mint, struck 194 CE; 17mm, 3.26g, 7h. cf. BMCRE 390 note (their obv. COS II not II C and rev. SAECVLI FELICIT), cf. RIC 419, cf. RSC 628d. Obv: IMP CAE L • SEP SE - V PERT • AVG II C; head laureate right. Rx: SAECVLI FELICITAS; Crescent and seven stars. From Harlan J. Berk: “Apparently unpublished with this combination of the rare early obverse legend ending II C and the reverse legend SAECVLI FELICITAS fully written out, not abbreviated. A denarius in Budapest, described by BMC-390 note, also has the unabbreviated reverse legend, but combined with an anomalous obverse legend ending CO III. C. Clay has a plaster cast of that Budapest coin and considers it to be an ancient imitation, so of little relevance to our piece.” VF ex Berk BBS 202, 12 October 2017, lot 204
An interesting OP coin, and some lovely examples shared in this thread. I also have an example of Septimius Severus with the seven stars and crescent on the reverse: Septimius Severus AR Denarius, 2.268g Emesa mint, 194-95 AD Obv: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II, Laureate head right Rev: SAECVL FELICIT, Seven stars above and within a crescent with horns up RIC IV 417 (S)
Thanks for sharing a link to a very informative article. From the article: "OUR MOON IS SOLID, not transparent. So it is impossible for a star to appear between the points of a crescent moon. But ancient artists did not care about this, even if they understood it." Evidence against Giorgio Tsoukalos's assertion on the show Ancient Aliens that ancient peoples "depicted what they saw," therefore aliens.
