Faustina Friday - lovely patina on a Ceres reverse!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by hotwheelsearl, Jan 8, 2021.

  1. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    I picked up this Faustina I sestertius as my second purchase of 2021, and it's a great one in my opinion.
    Faustina I Sestertius RIC Rome 1128.JPG
    The picture doesn't really do the coin justice - it's very dark green with a rather smooth and lovely forest-green patina. I suspect some work has been done to the surfaces since they're so glossy, but I love the look.

    The Ceres reverse is pretty neat - it seems that Ceres tends to show up with the reverse legend of AETERNITAS or AVGVSTA and only rarely with the actual name CERES.

    Please show off your Ceres coins!
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Lovely! Numerous Ceres types were issued for Faustina I in all metals. I have too many to show. Here are just a few:

    [​IMG]
    Faustina Senior, AD 138-140.
    Roman copper alloy as or dupondius, 10.35 g, 26.4 mm, 11 h.
    Rome, AD 138-140.
    Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: CERES SC, Ceres standing l., holding corn-ears and long torch.
    Refs: RIC 1084; BMCRE 1124; Cohen 140; RCV 4679; UCR 150; Strack 1214.

    [​IMG]
    Faustina I, AD 138-141.
    Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.61 g, 33 mm.
    Rome, AD 145-147.
    Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: AVGVSTA S C, Ceres standing left, holding corn ears and long torch.
    Refs: RIC 1116; BMCRE 1509-11; Cohen 79; RCV 4614; Strack 1286.
    Notes: Likely one of a series of issues to commemorate the wedding of Faustina II to Marcus Aurelius. A similar design (RIC 1117) depicts the goddess holding corn ears and a short torch.

    [​IMG]
    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 1512-13; Strack 1285; Cohen --; RCV --.
     
  4. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Nice new one, hotwheelsearl. I like 'em green like that.

    My last one (or thereabouts for 2020) was also a Faustina sestertius, but this one from the younger one:

    Fausrina II - Sest. FECVND 1 babe Dec 2020 (0).jpg
    Faustina II Æ Sestertius
    n.d. (c. 161-175 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    FAVSTINA AVG[VSTA], draped bust right / [FECV]N[DITAS] S C, Fecunditas standing right, holding scepter and infant.
    RIC 1638; BMCRE 905-910.
    (24.37 grams / 30 mm)
     
  5. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Wonderful coins, all. I still have only one coin depicting Ceres -- a Diva Faustina I, surprise! -- despite there being a number of Roman Republican coins with Ceres that I'd like to have.

    Diva Faustina I [Senior] (wife of Antoninus Pius), AR Denarius, prob. 150-160 AD [see Dinsdale, infra at p. 216 -- including this type among coins issued upon and after 10th anniversary of Faustina’s deification]. Obv: Draped bust right, DIVA FAVSTINA / Rev: Ceres, veiled, standing left, holding torch in left hand and holding right hand up in greeting, CONSECRATIO. RIC III 382b corr.*, RSC II 165a, Sear RCV II 4593, Dinsdale 020610 [Dinsdale, Paul H, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar AD 138-161: Antonine Coinage (2018) at p. 249; photo at p. 254]. 17 mm., 3.3 g.

    Diva Faustina I - Ceres reverse - jpg version.jpg
    * RIC III 382b erroneously describes Faustina’s bust on obverse as veiled. (RIC III 382a has different obverse legend [DIVA AVG FAVSTINA]).
     
  6. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Here is one for Faustina II that shows her sitting down:

    Faustina II - Sestertius Ceres seated Mar 2020 (2).jpg
    Faustina II Æ Sestertius
    (161- 176 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / CER[ES] S-C, Ceres seated left on cista,
    holding two corn-ears and (short) lighted torch.
    RIC 1620; Cohen 36.
    (24.87 grams / 30 x 27 mm)

    I do have some of Faustina I - here is a dupondius (based on yellow color and weight; it could be an as):

    Faustina I - Dup Ceres Estonia Sep 2020 (0).jpg
    Faustina I Æ Dupondius
    3rd Phase, part 2: wedding of Faustina II to M. Aurelius
    (c. 145-150 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AVGVSTA S-C, Ceres standing left holding short torch in raised right hand and corn-ears in lowered left hand.
    RIC III, 1171 type 1; Cohen 89;
    (12.71 grams / 26 mm)
     
  7. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    I have a Diva Faustina Ceres as, not the best quality but I'm OK as long as it was easily identified
    upload_2021-1-9_23-11-26.png

    RIC III Antoninus Pius 1173a (as)

    Date: AD 141

    Legend: DIVA FAVSTINA

    Type: Bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved and coiled in bands across head and drawn up at back and piled in a round coil on top.

    Legend: AVGVSTA S C

    Type: Ceres, draped, standing, front, head left, holding short lighted torch, transverse, raised in right hand and sceptre, vertical, at side, in left
     
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