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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 6590709, member: 75937"]<i>Let's see your coins of Faustina you consider to be of "fine style"!</i></p><p><br /></p><p>I have a handful of denarii in my collection whose portraits are quite likely to have been carved by the same die-engraver. This die engraver was clearly a master and his portraits are of a particularly fine style. I have identified the following characteristics of his work:</p><p><br /></p><p>His portraits clearly portray Faustina wearing a <i>stola</i> fastened at the shoulder with a looped-shaped <i>fibula</i> and a <i>palla</i> over her <i>stola</i>. Unlike the situation with Julia Domna, where the loop-shaped <i>fibula</i> is a characteristic of the "Laodicea mint," the presence of such a design element on the coins of Faustina is not a regular feature, nor is it indicative of a particular mint. Similarly, the <i>stola</i> is not usually so clearly distinguished from the <i>palla</i> on Faustina's coinage and her portraits typically show only the <i>palla</i> or just the barest hint of a <i>stola</i> underneath. If you are unfamiliar with these particular garments, I refer you to an <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/matronly-garments-the-stola-and-palla.346585/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/matronly-garments-the-stola-and-palla.346585/">article I have previously written</a> about Roman women's clothing.</p><p><br /></p><p>The coins depict the empress with her second hairstyle under Marcus Aurelius, from AD 161 to c. 166.* This is characterized by a frame of waves bordering her face and rows of more or less wavy hair pulled back into a chignon low on the back of her head at the nape of the neck. Coins of all engravers during this period depict the empress' hairstyle in this way; however, features characteristic of this die-engraver include prominent wisps of hair across the cheek in front of the ear, as well as below the ear on the nape of the neck. In addition, he may have adorned the empress' ears with earrings.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are two coins I'm convinced are by the same hand:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265124[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 161-164.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed bust of Faustina II, draped, right.</p><p>Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand.</p><p>Refs: RIC 686; BMCRE 100; RSC 111; RCV 5254; CRE 182.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265125[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.01 g, 19.6 mm, 1 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 161-164.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Faustina II, right, wearing stephane.</p><p>Rev: IVNO, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter; peacock at feet.</p><p>Refs: RIC 688 var. (stephane); BMCRE 109; RSC 120b; RCV 5255 var. (stephane); CRE 189.</p><p><br /></p><p>And possibly this one, too:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265126[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.20 g, 17.6 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 165- c.166.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: SALVS, Salus standing left, feeding snake rising from an altar and holding scepter.</p><p>Refs: RIC 715; BMCRE 141-145; RSC 197; RCV 5261; CRE 214.</p><p><br /></p><p>For comparison, see these coins engraved by different artists of varying degrees of skill.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265127[/ATTACH]</p><p>BMCRE 109, London Ancient Coins, Auction 42, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2402997" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2402997" rel="nofollow">lot 408</a>, 1 April, 2015.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265130[/ATTACH]</p><p>BMCRE 142, <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1912-0710-277" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1912-0710-277" rel="nofollow">British Museum specimen</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265140[/ATTACH] </p><p>BMCRE 112-15; my own collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lastly, based upon the treatment of the <i>stola</i> and <i>fibula</i>, and upon the details of the hair, the shape of the empress’ nose and chin, and general excellence of workmanship, I think this coin with her final hairstyle (c. AD 170-175)* may also be a product of this talented die-engraver:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265139[/ATTACH] </p><p>Faustina Jr, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR Denarius, 3.54 g, 18.4 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 170-175.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: IVNO, Juno, veiled, draped, standing left, holding patera in extended right hand and scepter in left hand; at left, peacock.</p><p>Refs: RIC 688; BMC 105; Cohen 120; RCV 5255; CRE 190.</p><p><br /></p><p>And possibly this one, too:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265133[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.20 g, 17.7 mm, 1 h.</p><p>Rome, c. AD 174-175.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: MATRI MAGNAE, Cybele seated left holding branch in right hand, resting left arm on drum; at her side, lion.</p><p>Refs: RIC 706; BMCRE 134; Cohen 192; RCV 5281; MIR 26; CRE 173.</p><p><br /></p><p>~~~</p><p><br /></p><p>*Szaivert (<i>MIR</i>, p. 231) notes that the end of the phase using this hairstyle is uncertain and suggests a possible break in the issuing of coins for Faustina, perhaps of several years, between this phase and the period characterized by her final hairstyle. The fact that no reverses struck for Faustina appear to celebrate the elevation of her sons, Commodus and Annius Verus, to the rank of Caesar in 166, or the birth of a last daughter in 169, suggests that the issuing of coins for Faustina may have ceased in 166 and did not resume until possibly 170. However useful Szaivert’s dating scheme may be, it’s important to note that it is tentative. Many reverse-types appear with multiple hairstyles, indicating continuous or repeated issue, and might have been in use simultaneously at times.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 6590709, member: 75937"][I]Let's see your coins of Faustina you consider to be of "fine style"![/I] I have a handful of denarii in my collection whose portraits are quite likely to have been carved by the same die-engraver. This die engraver was clearly a master and his portraits are of a particularly fine style. I have identified the following characteristics of his work: His portraits clearly portray Faustina wearing a [I]stola[/I] fastened at the shoulder with a looped-shaped [I]fibula[/I] and a [I]palla[/I] over her [I]stola[/I]. Unlike the situation with Julia Domna, where the loop-shaped [I]fibula[/I] is a characteristic of the "Laodicea mint," the presence of such a design element on the coins of Faustina is not a regular feature, nor is it indicative of a particular mint. Similarly, the [I]stola[/I] is not usually so clearly distinguished from the [I]palla[/I] on Faustina's coinage and her portraits typically show only the [I]palla[/I] or just the barest hint of a [I]stola[/I] underneath. If you are unfamiliar with these particular garments, I refer you to an [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/matronly-garments-the-stola-and-palla.346585/']article I have previously written[/URL] about Roman women's clothing. The coins depict the empress with her second hairstyle under Marcus Aurelius, from AD 161 to c. 166.* This is characterized by a frame of waves bordering her face and rows of more or less wavy hair pulled back into a chignon low on the back of her head at the nape of the neck. Coins of all engravers during this period depict the empress' hairstyle in this way; however, features characteristic of this die-engraver include prominent wisps of hair across the cheek in front of the ear, as well as below the ear on the nape of the neck. In addition, he may have adorned the empress' ears with earrings. Here are two coins I'm convinced are by the same hand: [ATTACH=full]1265124[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 161-164. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed bust of Faustina II, draped, right. Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 686; BMCRE 100; RSC 111; RCV 5254; CRE 182. [ATTACH=full]1265125[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.01 g, 19.6 mm, 1 h. Rome, AD 161-164. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Faustina II, right, wearing stephane. Rev: IVNO, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter; peacock at feet. Refs: RIC 688 var. (stephane); BMCRE 109; RSC 120b; RCV 5255 var. (stephane); CRE 189. And possibly this one, too: [ATTACH=full]1265126[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.20 g, 17.6 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 165- c.166. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: SALVS, Salus standing left, feeding snake rising from an altar and holding scepter. Refs: RIC 715; BMCRE 141-145; RSC 197; RCV 5261; CRE 214. For comparison, see these coins engraved by different artists of varying degrees of skill. [ATTACH=full]1265127[/ATTACH] BMCRE 109, London Ancient Coins, Auction 42, [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2402997']lot 408[/URL], 1 April, 2015. [ATTACH=full]1265130[/ATTACH] BMCRE 142, [URL='https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1912-0710-277']British Museum specimen[/URL]. [ATTACH=full]1265140[/ATTACH] BMCRE 112-15; my own collection. Lastly, based upon the treatment of the [I]stola[/I] and [I]fibula[/I], and upon the details of the hair, the shape of the empress’ nose and chin, and general excellence of workmanship, I think this coin with her final hairstyle (c. AD 170-175)* may also be a product of this talented die-engraver: [ATTACH=full]1265139[/ATTACH] Faustina Jr, AD 147-175. Roman AR Denarius, 3.54 g, 18.4 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 170-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: IVNO, Juno, veiled, draped, standing left, holding patera in extended right hand and scepter in left hand; at left, peacock. Refs: RIC 688; BMC 105; Cohen 120; RCV 5255; CRE 190. And possibly this one, too: [ATTACH=full]1265133[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.20 g, 17.7 mm, 1 h. Rome, c. AD 174-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: MATRI MAGNAE, Cybele seated left holding branch in right hand, resting left arm on drum; at her side, lion. Refs: RIC 706; BMCRE 134; Cohen 192; RCV 5281; MIR 26; CRE 173. ~~~ *Szaivert ([I]MIR[/I], p. 231) notes that the end of the phase using this hairstyle is uncertain and suggests a possible break in the issuing of coins for Faustina, perhaps of several years, between this phase and the period characterized by her final hairstyle. The fact that no reverses struck for Faustina appear to celebrate the elevation of her sons, Commodus and Annius Verus, to the rank of Caesar in 166, or the birth of a last daughter in 169, suggests that the issuing of coins for Faustina may have ceased in 166 and did not resume until possibly 170. However useful Szaivert’s dating scheme may be, it’s important to note that it is tentative. Many reverse-types appear with multiple hairstyles, indicating continuous or repeated issue, and might have been in use simultaneously at times.[/QUOTE]
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