Salonina AR Antoninianus. Rome mint, 257-258 AD. SALONINA AVG, draped bust right on crescent / IVNO REGINA, Juno standing left holding patera and sceptre. RSC 60; Sear 10640.
I was wondering if you could rephotograph this so it is better focused. The reason I ask is that this coin was minted by both the Rome (RIC joint reign 29) and Antioch (RIC joint reign 64) mints. They are distinguished by style. Sear, RSC, and Cohen do not make such a distinction. I suspect -- but can't tell for sure -- that yours is the slightly scarcer Antioch mint version, such as mine: Cornelia Salonina, AD 253-268. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.20 g, 19.7 mm, 5 h. Antioch, AD 258-259. Obv: SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right. Rev: IVNO REGINA, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter. Refs: RIC 64; Göbl 1593c (14 spec.); Cohen/RSC 60; RCV --; Cunetio 1844 (7 spec.).
I agree that the style looks like Antioch rather than Rome. Below is one that I have of RIC 29 from Rome. Although Salonina's portraits vary a lot, the style differences are usually pretty noticeable with Antioch being a more stylized and Rome leaning a bit more realistic. The portrait below is unusually good for the era.
SALONINA RI Salonina wife of Gallienus 254-268 CE AE Ant 3.61g 20mm Rome mint 267-268 CE crescent Deer Walking delta RIC 15
Style. It looks odd compared to those of the Rome mint. It's like your Aunt Minnie. You might not be able to describe your Aunt Minnie, but you know her when you see her.
SALONINA Antoninianus OBVERSE: SALONINA AVG, diademed draped bust right on a crescent REVERSE: FECVNDITAS AVG, Fecunditas, standing left, holding cornucopiae, child at feet left, officina letter D to right Struck at Rome, 260-8 AD Sole Reign of Gallienus 2.1g, 19mm RIC 5A, D (Gallienus) SALONINA Antoninianus OBVERSE: SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, resting on crescent REVERSE: DEAE SEGETIAE, statue of Segetiae or Ceres, nimbate, standing facing in four-columned temple, both hands raised Struck at Lugdunum, 258 AD 3.1g, 22mm RIC 5
Rome Samosata or Antioch Salonina's portraits vary so much that there aren't really characteristics that are always one way or another but these two coins show a good comparison (they're from roughly the same few years - 255-258 ad)... although there are also coins from each mint that are much closer in style than these coins. Head shape, eye shape, hairstyles, and even sometimes letter styles are all little signals that can give you hints if you see enough examples. I'd recommend searching acsearch for the person and reverse legend and looking at a lot of examples. Right away, you'll start noticing the different styles... especially for this era.
