This is the other coin I got along with the Philip II. It's not a nice coin, but the price was negligible and it shared the shipping charges with the Philip II. I also have to thank Mat for helping with the ID of this coin. FAUSTINA JR AE26 OBVERSE: FAVCTEINA NEA CEBACTH, draped bust right REVERSE: AGCILAEWN, Demeter seated left holding corn ears & long torch Struck at Anchialus, Thrace, 147-175 AD 9.6g, 26mm Moushmov 2789 Annia Galeria Faustina Minor (Minor is Latin for the Younger), Faustina Minor or Faustina the Younger (16 February between 125 and 130 – 175) was a daughter of Antonius Pius and Faustina the Elder. She was a Roman Empress and wife to her maternal cousin Marcus Aurelius. Though Roman sources give a generally negative view of her character, she was held in high esteem by soldiers and her own husband and was given divine honors after her death. Cassius Dio and the Augustan History accuse Faustina of ordering deaths by poison and execution; she has also been accused of instigating the revolt of Avidius Cassius against her husband. The Augustan History mentions adultery with sailors, gladiators, and men of rank; however, Faustina and Aurelius seem to have been very close and mutually devoted. Anchialos (Pomorie, Bulgaria today) was possibly founded in the 5th or 4th century B.C. as a colony of Apollonia. It is mentioned in Strabo's Geographica as a small town. It was briefly captured by Messembria in the 2nd century B.C., but retaken by Apollonia and its fortified walls destroyed. The western Black Sea coast was conquered by the Romans under Marcus Licinius Crassus in 29 - 28 B.C. after continuous campaigns in the area since 72 - 71. The city became part of the Roman province of Thrace and was formally proclaimed a city under Trajan. Anchialos prospered as the most important import and export location in Thrace during the 2nd and 3rd centuries and acquired the appearance of a Roman city during the Severan Dynasty.
Ummm, you and Mat don't make quite as sweet a duo as you and TIF ... ... but all-in-all, it is a pretty sweet coin for your daily-coin-special (two ancient coins for less than $20, delivered) ... => dude, I can't even get a small pizza delivered for that price!!
Yeah, that coin's a bit rough, Bing. But hey, if it's almost a freebie, so what? Thanks for the write-up as well. I have yet to collect anything of Anchialus, or Faustina Jr. for that matter.
10 grams of ancient metal with an identifiable (and really quite nice) portrait for a "negligible" price? Score!
This might be a good place to show this AE28 of Neocaesarea in Cilicia that starts the obverse legend with Annia. It was, after all, her name and the guys at the mint had no idea that Elagabalus would marry a different Annia Faustina and give heart palpitations to collectors who find these in junk boxes. I bought this one because I liked the fluffy thunderbolt and the way set-back portrait from a dealer who knew that it was the common Faustina and listed it correctly. Who has other coins that read 'Annia'? Who has a coin of the expensive AF?
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that will buy another coins just because I've already paid to ship one coin...why not add another.
