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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Curtisimo, post: 7666530, member: 83845&quot;][ATTACH=full]1317469[/ATTACH] </p><p><font size="3">Roman Empire </font></p><p><font size="3">Faustina I</font></p><p><font size="3">AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck AD 138-141</font></p><p><font size="3">Dia.: 18 mm</font></p><p><font size="3">Wt.: 2.77 g</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv.: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA; Draped bust right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev.: CONCORDIA AVG; Concordia standing left, holding patera and cornucopia.</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref.: RIC 335 (Antoninus Pius)</font></p><p><font size="3">Ex Collection of a Hanseatic Roman-friend.&nbsp; Ex Auktion Münzzentrum 94, Lot 420 (Cologne; May 13, 1998)</font></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin is special for several reasons. First, the lifetime issues of Faustina I are comparatively rare.&nbsp; Most coins struct with her image were made after her death in AD 141 by her grieving husband, the emperor Antoninus Pius. </p><p><br /></p><p>Second, these lifetime coins of Faustina I are interesting because, for the first time since at least the Flavian dynasty an empress was shown with her own features on a coin. Previously, under the Nerva-Antonine dynasty royal women were shown with the features of the emperor on the official coinage for some weird/kinky?/lazy reason. The fact that the mint under Antoninus Pius made the effort to show a true likeness of the empress in her own lifetime when that was not the current practice is yet another illustration of the well attested respect and affection that Antoninus Pius held for his wife. </p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, the coin itself has great eye appeal, good centering, nice toning and a respectable provenance.&nbsp; All in all a great addition for 2021 and a welcome addition to my Nerva-Antonine collection. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1317471[/ATTACH] </p><p><font size="3">Faustina I: I took these photos of this wonderful statue at the Getty Villa in Malibu, California. The portraits on statues and coins are remarkably consistent both lifetime and posthumous. (Author’s photos)</font></p><p><br /></p><p>As always please feel free to post anything you feel is relevant, including:</p><ul> <li><span style="color: #ff0000"><b>Coins of Faustina I</b></span></li> <li><span style="color: #ff0000"><b>Coins that show the empress as the emperor in a wig</b></span></li> <li><span style="color: #ff0000"><b>Coins that show an empress in her own likeness. </b></span></li> </ul><p>In fact, as to that last category I propose a bit of a challenge.&nbsp; I don’t really know which empress / royal lady was the last person before Faustina I to have her true likeness struck on a coin during her own lifetime. I couldn’t find the answer easily online either. Please posts such coins from any dynasty to the thread and perhaps we can get an answer.&nbsp; At the very least we will see some interesting portraits of important Roman ladies.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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