This one is a new acquisition and there isn't enough to say about it to make for an interesting installment of Faustina Friday, so I'm posting it today. In sharp contrast to the numerous Concordia types issued under Antoninus Pius, this reverse type was only issued in the middle bronze denomination under Marcus Aurelius. Mine is an as; although the photo looks brassy, copper red appears through the patina on the high points, particularly on the reverse. Mattingly, however, (s.v. BMC no. 968) notes the specimen in the British Museum collection is a dupondius. The purpose of the issue is unknown, which is not uncommon for an allegorical reverse type such as Concordia. Dating the issue is problematic. Szaivert (MIR) assigns the Concordia seated reverse type to "Phase 2," from AD 161-164, but is silent about the Concordia standing type.[1] Beckmann studied only the aurei of Faustina II and assigns the Concordia seated aureus to AD 166 on the basis of die-linkage and hoard studies.[2] However, there is no evidence that when an allegorical reverse type appears with both seated and standing varieties (such as Juno, Salus, or Concordia), they were issued concurrently. Quite the opposite is true, and such cases usually represent separate issues. Middle bronzes showing Concordia seated (RIC 1626 and 1627) correspond to those dated by Szaivert and Beckmann. The standing Concordia type is thus somewhat of an orphan. I have dated the coin to c. AD 161-166 on the basis of her hairstyle (Beckmann type 7, used also for the Concordia seated versions of the middle bronze), but hairstyles provide only a loose approximation of date of issue. Beckmann's study confirms that more than one hairstyle may appear on coins struck with the same reverse die and that earlier hairstyles sometimes recur anachronistically. Moreover, the repertoire of hairstyles used on bronze issues is narrower than on the aurei and any particular coiffure tended to be used over a longer period of time. The available specimens are all of the same bust type and hairstyle, but the reverse may depict Concordia holding either a single or double cornucopiae. Although the number of online examples is tiny, I am not able to find any that are die-matches to my coin and they don't appear to be die-matches with each other, either, so I don't think the issue was a particularly limited one. Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman Æ as, 12.67 g, 25.1 mm, 11 h. Rome, c. AD 161-166. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Draped bust, right, wearing double-strand of pearls. Rev: CONCORDIA S C, Concordia standing facing, head left, holding patera in extended right hand and double cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 1625; BMCRE 968; C 48; RCV 5291; MIR 6-7/10b. The coin appears to be scarce. A search of all the major online databases reveals only the following inventory of specimens: 1. BnF specimen cited by Cohen (double cornucopiae). 2. British Museum specimen (cited in MIR), BMCRE 968 (dupondius; single cornucopiae). 3. Bertolami, E-Auction 32, lot 831, 11 January 2016 (as; double cornucopiae). 4. Wildwinds specimen, contributed by Roma, June 2010 (as; single cornucopiae). 5. Münzkabinett der Universität Göttingen AS-02233 (as; double cornucopiae). 6. Münzsammlung des Seminars für Alte Geschichte der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität 02500 (as; double cornucopiae). 7. My specimen (as; double cornucopiae). Questions to be answered: What, if any, was the purpose of this issue? Is the British Museum specimen really a dupondius or is it an as like all other examples? When was the coin issued? Comments welcome, answers encouraged! If you have a link to an image of the BnF specimen, please post it. Please post any coins you feel are relevant! ~~~ Notes 1. Szaivert, Wolfgang, Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192), Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989, p. 230. 2. Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, pp. 61-61.
The following coin has also Faustina II and Concordia who is holding patera and cornucopia. Concordia is leaning on column. It's a Sestertius. RIC 1368 b.
Nice coin, RC. I'm afraid I cannot offer any information on your new one. I do have a Concordia standing type for Faustina II, but an earlier one, based on legends. This one also seems a bit scarce, or at lease OCRE only has one of them (for as only, no dupondius) and I could find only two on acsearch. Or my attribution is wrong (dates come from Wildwinds example): Faustina II Æ As (c. 145-146 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / AVGVSTI [PII] FIL S-C, Concordia standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae. RIC 1390. (9.94 grams / 23 mm)
Concordia represents harmony and agreement in the Roman world. I would therefore imagine that the purpose of the issue is either harmony for a growing family, or between Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. Just my thoughts. Maybe I should check to see if Concordia also appears on Marcus Aurelius coins during the same time period.
I think the reverse legend of my Faustina Junior denarius says Concordia. I am not totally sure, since I purchased the coin for the hairstyle only. It is of earlier time period though...
