I picked up this Faustina I sestertius as my second purchase of 2021, and it's a great one in my opinion. 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!
Lovely! Numerous Ceres types were issued for Faustina I in all metals. I have too many to show. Here are just a few: 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. 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. 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 --.
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: 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)
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. * RIC III 382b erroneously describes Faustina’s bust on obverse as veiled. (RIC III 382a has different obverse legend [DIVA AVG FAVSTINA]).
Here is one for Faustina II that shows her sitting down: 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 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)
I have a Diva Faustina Ceres as, not the best quality but I'm OK as long as it was easily identified 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