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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 7910893, member: 75937&quot;]Woo hoo! It&#039;s Friday! Faustina Friday, that is!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/26tnb3iL3E9OG5v0c/giphy.gif" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>First of all, I want to give a huge thank you to [USER=89514]@curtislclay[/USER] who was so kind as to send me a very interesting coin as a gift! So, a huge shout out to Curtis is in order!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://c.tenor.com/gR_QMTlx0NkAAAAM/funny-dogs-cute.gif" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The members of this are truly the most kind and generous!</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]uAwyIad93-c[/MEDIA]</p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s the coin:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1365844[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina Jr, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">&nbsp;Roman Æ <i>as</i>, 10.30 g, 24.1 mm, 5 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">&nbsp;Rome, AD c. August 156.</font></p><p><font size="3">&nbsp;Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">&nbsp;Rev: S C, Diana, standing facing, head left, holding arrow in right hand and bow set on ground with left hand.</font></p><p><font size="3">&nbsp;Refs: Unlisted; mule of obverse of RIC 1389-91 and reverse of RIC 1405c.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>In order to recognize and understand the coin as a mule, we need to know what a mule is.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>What is a mule and how is that different from a hybrid?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Some people use the terms <i>mule</i> and <i>hybrid</i> rather loosely and interchangeably, but the terms properly refer to two different situations. A hybrid is defined as &quot;the pairing of dies appropriate to different rulers,&quot; whereas a mule is defined as &quot;the pairing of dies belonging to different issues or phases.&quot;[1] Because this coin combines the obverse and reverse dies of the same person – Faustina the Younger – but the obverse and reverse dies used in its production belong to two different issues, the coin is a mule.</p><p><br /></p><p>Furthermore, we need to know about the obverse and reverse types from which it was struck. The logical place to start is with the reverse type because, in this case, it is the earlier of the two dies.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Reverse Type</b></p><p><br /></p><p>The anepigraphic (apart from the obligatory S C) reverse type depicting Diana standing holding arrow and bow was struck over a period of several years in the early- to mid-150s and was used only for the bronze denominations. Two sequential obverse inscriptions and two sequential hairstyles are found paired with this reverse type. The older obverse legend, FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, was in use twice during the period of coin production under Antoninus Pius. This legend was in use for about four or five months beginning about May AD 151, followed by the FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL legend, which was in use for about seven or eight months, from the end of summer AD 151 to about June AD 152, after which it reverted to the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL legend, which was in use through the end of AD 155.[2] There are no coins with this reverse type bearing the FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL legend, so we know the reverse type was introduced when the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL legend was in use for the second time. The coins with this obverse legend typically bear the empress&#039; second (Beckmann type 2) hairstyle but are known with her fifth hairstyle (Beckmann type 5).[3] These S C Diana standing middle bronzes with the fifth hairstyle and the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL obverse legend date from late AD 154 to 155 and were part of an issue for use in Britain.[4]</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse type was still in use by c. 1 Jan. 156 (very early in Pius&#039; TR P XIX), when the obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F legend was introduced.[5] Coins of the anepigraphic Diana standing holding arrow and bow reverse type paired with the later FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F obverse legend always bear the empress&#039; fifth hairstyle, the type seen on the mule above. I have <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/">previously discussed</a> these coins in depth. Because the obverse type paired with the reverse on this particular coin dates to a still later period, the reverse die used to produce this muled coin was almost certainly intended for use on this issue illustrated below.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1365850[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman Æ <i>as</i>, 9.80 g, 24.1 mm, 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, c. January 156-July 156.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: S C, Diana, draped, standing front, head left, holding out arrow in right hand and resting left on bow, set on ground.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 1405c (erroneous obv insc.); BMCRE p.382 note after no. 2194; Cohen 211 (erroneous obv insc.); Strack 1326.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>The filiation AVGVSTI PII FIL, which means &quot;daughter of Pius Augustus,&quot; was moved to the reverse of her coins about August 156, two-thirds of the way through Antoninus&#039; TR P XIX,[6] with the result that her obverse legend was shortened to FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, the legend in use for the rest of her life. This brings us to the matter of the muled coin&#039;s obverse.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The obverse type</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Being a mule, the obverse of this coin was almost certainly intended for one of Faustina&#039;s AVGVSTI PII FIL reverse types that immediately followed the S C Diana standing type. As I have <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-–-the-avgvsti-pii-fil-reverse-types.385171/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-–-the-avgvsti-pii-fil-reverse-types.385171/">previously discussed</a>, this AVGVSTI PII FIL reverse legend was used with three different types in the middle bronze denomination: Concordia standing, Salus seated, and Venus Victrix standing. Note the similarity of the obverse of the muled coin to that of this Venus Victrix type.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1365846[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman Æ as or dupondius, 12.05 g, 25.3 mm, 12 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, c. August, AD 156-157.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL S C, Venus Victrix standing facing, head left, holding Victory on extended right hand and resting left hand on shield, set on helmet.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 1389a; BMCRE 2202; Cohen 17; Sear 4721; Strack 1333.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><b>Other known examples of this mule</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Curtis Clay notes three examples of this coin, all with the same obverse die.[7]</p><p><br /></p><p>1) The example he sent me (the OP coin, above).</p><p>2) Another in his collection he obtained from Zausche at the Chicago International Show in April, 2002. This was struck with the same reverse die as the one he sent me.</p><p>3) One from Ancient Auction House, eBay 21 Feb 2007, which was struck with a different reverse die.</p><p><br /></p><p>If anyone is aware of other examples, please let me know. Similarly, if you are aware of any middle bronzes of the AVGVSTI PII FIL reverse type that are obverse die-matches to the OP coin, please let me know. I have searched online in vain for an obverse die match at the usual databases but without success.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The implications of this mule</b></p><p><br /></p><p>The existence of the mule – particularly given the existence of two reverse dies – demonstrates that the S C Diana standing reverse type was the last type in use before the transition to the AVGVSTI PII FIL reverse types. The muled coin can be dated with certainty to AD 156 and with less certainty to about August of that year. Although used for years with the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL obverse legend, the S C Diana standing reverse type was in use for a period of only seven or eight months with the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F obverse legend, explaining why Mattingly lists the Diana standing type with that obverse inscription among &quot;rare obverses.&quot;[8]</p><p><br /></p><p>More importantly, the discovery of an obverse die match to my coin on a middle bronze with AVGVSTI PII FIL reverse legend would demonstrate which of the three reverse designs of the AVGVSTI PII FIL series was used first for the as/dupondius denominations.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>As always, post anything you feel is relevant!</i></p><p><br /></p><p>~~~</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Notes</b></p><p><br /></p><p>1. Bland, Roger, et al. <i>The Cunetio and Normanby Hoards</i>. Spink &amp; Son Ltd, 2018, p. 24.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. I discussed this last week in &quot;Faustina Friday – a RELATIVE Chronology for the CONCORDIA Standing and the Concordia Seated Issues.&quot; <i>Coin Talk</i>, 17 Sept. 2021, <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-a-relative-chronology-for-the-concordia-standing-and-the-concordia-seated-issues.386459/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-a-relative-chronology-for-the-concordia-standing-and-the-concordia-seated-issues.386459/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-–-a-relative-chronology-for-the-concordia-standing-and-the-concordia-seated-issues.386459/</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. The type 3 hairstyle appears on only a handful of coins in silver, all of the CONCORDIA issue, and in bronze, only on a single dupondius, which is of the Venus standing reverse type (<a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-13942" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-13942" rel="nofollow">BMCRE Pius 2172</a>). The type 4 hairstyle only appears on aurei and a bronze medallion bearing a facing peacock reverse type (Gnecchi, Faustina the Younger 35). See Beckmann, Martin, <i>Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image</i>, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, p. 46.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Clay, Curtis L. &quot;<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42667584" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42667584" rel="nofollow">The Supply of Bronze Coins to Britain in the Second Century</a>.&quot; <i>Numismatic Chronicle</i>, vol. 149, 1989, p. 216.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/#post-7605355" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/#post-7605355">post #9</a> in &quot;Faustina Friday – a Couple of Anepigraphic Bronzes.&quot; <i>Coin Talk</i>, 13 Nov. 2020, <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-couple-of-anepigraphic-bronzes.369904/</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Clay, Curtis L., <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-pondersome-dupondius.372253/#post-5311634" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-pondersome-dupondius.372253/#post-5311634">post #5</a> in &quot;Faustina Friday – a Pondersome Dupondius.&quot; <i>Coin Talk</i>, 25 Dec. 2020, <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-pondersome-dupondius.372253/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-pondersome-dupondius.372253/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-a-pondersome-dupondius.372253/</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Clay, Curtis L., personal communication, 14 September, 2021.</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Mattingly, Harold, <i>Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. Introduction, indexes and plates. </i>London, BMP, 1968, pp. 381-82.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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