In the course of researching the denarii of Julia Soaemias, I note that RIC lists a number of different reverse types. However, after doing a comprehensive search online at acsearchinfo, CoinArchives, the Coin Project, CNG archives, Wildwinds and the British Museum online collection, I have come to the conclusion that half of the denarii and the VENVS CAELESTIS antoninianus are not official imperial issues and are likely ancient hybrids mixing obverses of Julia Soaemias with reverses of Julia Domna, Julia Maesa, or one of Elagabalus' wives. I suspect these are ancient counterfeits. Here is the listing in RIC: I believe only the following are official: RIC 237 IVNO REGINA, Juno standing r. RIC 241 VENVS CAELESTIS standing l. --without star in field (RSC 2d) --with star in r. field (RSC 8) --with star in l. field (RSC 8a) RIC 243 VENVS CAELESTIS, Venus seated l., child at her feet I believe the denarii with the following reverse types are unofficial: ANNONA AVG, IVNO (Juno stg l.), PIETAS AVG, PVDICITIA, SAECVLI FELICITAS, and the three VESTA types. CNG has sold several examples of this barbarous imitation, which is so crude that I doubt the editors of RIC had it in mind: Moreover, I am skeptical about the existence of an antoninianus with the VENVS CAELESTIS, Venus seated reverse type. I'd love to be proven wrong. If you have a photo you found online of any of the RIC issues that I think are hybrids or counterfeits, I'd love to see them! Feel free to post anything you feel is relevant: silver coins of Julia Soaemias, Severan women hybrids, etc.
I finally added one of these barbarous imitations from AAMC's first auction! HT to @Nerva for pointing this one out to me. Although @Severus Alexander notes there is some controversy about their authenticity, CNG and Curtis Clay believe them to be ancient. They all appear to have been struck with the same dies and I suspect a hoard is the source of these coins in the modern market. Julia Soaemias, AD 218-222. Imitation Roman denarius, 3.12 g, 18.6 mm, 5 h. Obv: IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: ΛESIA (sic), Vesta seated left, holding simpulum and scepter. Refs: Cf. RIC - 247-248; Cf. RSC 22a.
RIC IV uses the terms "hybrid" and "irregular" fairly often. A useful, and updated, companion reference to the period covered in this volume of RIC IV is BMCRE V. This book talks about plated coins and hybrids -- 'Ever since Cohen...we have known that our genuine coins were interspersed with irregular issues, often of base metal and inferior style." They also mention "barbarous" imitations. There is more, but I don't want to spoil it.
