2 New Roman Ladies

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Mat, Jun 7, 2011.

  1. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    I had been on the hunt for Faustina Jr. for awhile and found one I liked, especially the reverse type, which is my first "altar". Also liked the condition of the portrait. Again, another cheap pickup like the others lately.

    Didnt really need another Domna since I had 2 already but I loved the portrait/condition/reverse & it was only $30 so I snatched it too.

    [​IMG]
    Faustina Jr. (146 - 175 A.D.)
    Silver Denarius
    O: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, Draped bust right.
    R: CONSECRATIO, Unadorned Altar.
    Reference RIC 74
    18mm
    2.6gms


    [​IMG]
    JULIA DOMNA (193-217 AD)
    O: IVLIA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right.
    R:VENVS VICTRIX, Venus, naked to waist, standing left, holding helmet and palm, resting elbow on column, shield at feet.
    RIC 581
    BMCRE p. 168, 90
    RSC 215
    17.5
    2.8g
     
    Marsyas Mike likes this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Nice coins. Are you thinking of collecting Empresses Mat? They are really scarce coins, much scarcer than many realize. I read somewhere they were issued about 1/1000 of an emperor's coins, but I am sure that caried.

    I have a few, most notably the wife of Valentinian III I got in an uncleaned lot from Cyprus years ago. I was always afraid to clean it.
     
  4. stainless

    stainless ANTONINIVS

    Nice additions! I really like that Domna. I'm not to fond of that Faustina II portrait, but it is a scarcer reverse.

    stainless
     
  5. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Really? I love the portrait. I am betting that portrait is closer to how she actually looked rather than the prettier ones you find. I am a big fan of what I consider more realistic portraits. Either that or I just like fugly women. :)
     
  6. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    @Chris, I do have a soft spot for the empresses & I do gravitate to them more but im close to hitting the more expensive 3 figure ones like Orbiana, Sabina, & Aquilia Severa. I want Crispina more then any others but she hasnt had a cheap one come up yet. Herennia Etruscilla & Salonina I am in no rush to get.

    You got Licinia Eudoxia? Thought she only came in gold?

    @Stainless, I knew you wouldnt like that portrait but I didnt mind it. I opted for the scarcer reverse vs the portait style you like & a Concordia reverse. I cant tell you how tired I am of Concordia reverses :p
     
  7. stainless

    stainless ANTONINIVS


    I'm not saying the Faustina II isn't a nice coin. It's a scarce one, and the portrait details are amazing. I agree that I would also like to have a less common reverse, but for emperors/empresses, it's reall about what portraits you find most attractive, IMO.

    stainless
     
  8. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Agreed & thats why I now have a third domna, just loved it's portrait. She seems happy looking in it. :)
     
  9. stainless

    stainless ANTONINIVS

    I was actually talking about the faustina...amzing detail. I actually like the reverse better on the domna, venus looks very nice (although that portrait is very detailed also).


    stainless
     
  10. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    In hand the venus does have some nice details, especially the face. You can make out the eyes, nose and lips without magnification. I was surprised when I got it.
     
  11. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Maybe I was wrong, but the seller, (a great guy who sold great uncleaned coins on Ebay from Cyprus, many will know him), pointed the coin out specifically to me when he mailed it. Its a tiny AE4 with a lady at a sewing wheel on the reverse, and Eudoxia sounds extremely familiar, but maybe it was Aelia. I haven't looked at it in 6 years or so, since before the move. The seller was a true rarity, a guy who literally bought from the fields and sold everything as it came. Like I said he pointed it oun on the cards he mailed them on and said, "very rare and expensive, please be extremely careful with it", and he usually only pointed out very nice coins like rare Cyprus Byzantine rulers, Cleopatra VII and the like.

    Edit: Is Aelia Eudoxia scarce? I would have to believe the coin pointed out was a pretty good one based on past purchases from this dealer.
     
  12. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    An AE4? Lady at a sewing wheel? Thats good old Aelia alright, I bought a AE4 of that exact coin in Long Beach last week & was gonna be posting it in time.

    And the AE4 isnt too rare but considered "scarce", its the Bronze AE2 that are a bit more rare.
     
  13. rexesq

    rexesq Senior Member

    Consecratio

    Awesome coins Mat! Nice Faustina II, it is a bit of an unflattering portrait, but with great detail on her hair and drapery, I really like it, and the reverse is great! I like the CONSECRATIO types.

    I have this Faustina I CONSECRATIO, that has the peacock rev, I love it and reaally want to get one in a higher grade... this one is nice, but has a bit of a rough flan and a small flan crack, but its solid.... I love how the headknot on the peacock, the feathers on its head, seperate the letters in the word CONSECRATIO - one of the photos is a bit off color......... and I also add a matching posthumous issue of her husband, with an altar on the reverse.... my first altar reverse too Mat.
     
  14. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    The alters are very cool. Would still like to get a peacock reverse also but I am happy with my latest purchases of Sr. & Jr.
     
  15. rexesq

    rexesq Senior Member

    Well you should be happy.... you have an AWESOME mother daughter pair, both with 'structure' reverses... quite a nice pair of coins, they go together very well..... I still have yet to find a Faustina II with my name on it.... one of these days...
     
  16. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Youll find a Faustina II, not like shes rare or anything. But I never thought about the pair of structures for both, even better, lol.
     
  17. rexesq

    rexesq Senior Member

    Heh yeah I will eventually.... I want one with a really nice beautiful young portrait, I am not really looking for a specific reverse, although a temple or something would be cooler than the usual standing figure, but it's a good portrait I am looking for.

    and yeah, that is a nice pair of structures.... pretty cool combo you got unknowingly heh. 'even better' indeed!
     
  18. Eyestrain

    Eyestrain Junior Member

    Here are a couple of examples of the type you're talking about. One Aelia Flaccilla, the other Aelia Eudoxia.

    81247q00.jpg
    04576q00.jpg

    The reverse is actually Victory inscribing the Chi-Rho on a shield set on a cippus.

    I especially like the hand-of-God crowning Eudoxia with a wreath on the obverse.
     
  19. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Thanks Eyestrain. If I remember correctly, mine has the hand on the obverse but the reverse is more like your Aelia Flaccila in style. As you can tell I never collected these, just got it in a group lot I bought from a great dealer. I don't reminisce about the "good old days" much, but those were good times to buy. In the same batch of 100 coins, I got a Cleo VII and many nice early Cypriot coins. This was, of course, before the US ban on imports of these coins from Cyprus. I actually keep the packages they were mailed in to prove provenance and date.
     
  20. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Cool additions and very nice Julia Domna! Gotta go with Stainless on the Faustina II portrait though XD sorry
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page