D'oh! Had this one misattributed for three years!

Have you ever done something like this?

I bought this one in a Frank Robinson auction in 2015. I made the mistake of looking it up in Sear (it's not listed in Sear, it turns out) and copying the RIC number, Cohen number, and BMCRE number for the coin from the Sear catalog. Today I spent much of the afternoon going through BMCRE volume 4 -- which I recently found online and which is a much better, more detailed reference for Antonine coinage than RIC -- verifying all of the BMCRE numbers for my Faustina I collection. It was in the course of this activity that I realized I had misattributed this sestertius as one where Ceres holds a long torch, whereas she is actually holding a short torch.

But as I studied the coin, I fell in love with it again, admiring its smooth, nearly black patina and how it had seen some, but not excessive, circulation. All too often, we acquire a coin, catalog it, put it in the collection and then forget about it because we become engrossed in the next coin we see in an upcoming auction. I had never bothered to photograph it or to show it off here (after all, who wants to see another Faustina I?). But because I'm in love with it again, I want to show it off to you.

Making its CT debut ...


Faustina I, AD 138-141
Roman orichalcum sestertius; 22.86 g, 30.5 mm, 6 h
Rome, AD 147-161
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: AVGV STA SC, Ceres standing left, holding corn ears in right hand and short torch slightly inclined to right in left hand
Refs: RIC 1117; BMCRE 1513; Cohen 79; RCV --.

For the sake of comparison, this as/dupondius in my collection bears the reverse design I had mistaken the aforementioned coin for, with the long torch:


Faustina I, AD 138-141
Roman Æ as/dupondius; 12.09 g, 25.7 mm, 7 h
Rome, AD 147-161
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: AVGV STA SC, Ceres standing left, holding corn ears and long torch
Refs: RIC 1169; BMCRE 1566 var.; Cohen 80; RCV 4645.

 

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I could see how a mistake like that might happen- glad you caught it and really glad you showed it!

 

I really enjoy your near onyx color patina! Beautiful coin. Who says Jackie O' popularized the pill box hat look??

 

there are some purdy coins of her. this one's mysteriously so too...

 

An inspiring text, @Roman Collector, and yes:

So often, I say to myself: enjoy that coin you already have, and stop looking at the auctions all the time. It gives pleasure and saves money. Sure, I'm addicted to buying new Ancients...

Faustina on worn coins is still attractive, she wears well.
I only have a Faustina II for this thread, that was in my father-in-law's estate. It was found in the soil of a horticulturist, who gave it to my father-in-law in 1972.

 

Still haven't a clue what this Sestertius exactly is

 

Wow. I think I made the same mistake. I took the reverse of this coin for the long torch variety. I need to go back and change it on my web page:

Here's the way it's currently iDed:
Bronze Sestertius
Rome mint, after A.D. 141
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA
Rev: AVGVSTA - Ceres, standing, facing left, holding corn ears and long torch, between S and C
RIC 1116
31x29mm, 24.6g.

I'll have to revise this when I get home from work tonight.

 

Perhaps it's Ceres with two torches, RIC 1120?

 

Yes! That's the exact same error I made!

 

If that's a sestertius, I think that's this one, RIC 1124, BMCRE 1519 & 1520:





If that's an as/dupondius, then it would be RIC 1178, BMC 1581 & 1582

 

it's a as/dupondius.. it does look like she's holding a lil peep in her hand, thanks RC

 

@Roman Collector said: ""Perhaps it's Ceres with two torches,RIC 1120 ?""

The reverse matches, the obverse is different with DIVA FAU - STINA , but I cant find that one, so I list it as RIC 1120, thanks RC.

Just found the correct RIC number for this one (I hope) seems with every Roman lot I buy, there's a Faustina added