Faustina Friday -- Beckmann Type 3 Hairstyle

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Oct 14, 2021.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Happy Friday, all! Today we're going to explore one of the rarest hairstyles on Faustina's coinage, no matter the metal, the Beckmann type three hairstyle. The hairstyle was in use for a short time only, likely in AD 151-152, because it appears for the first time in Beckmann's die-linkage study with the FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL obverse inscription, which was in use for about seven or eight months, from the end of summer AD 151 to about June AD 152,[1] and stops shortly after the reinstitution of the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL legend in the summer of 152, after which time the portrait reverts back to the earlier type 2 portrait.[2]

    Here is an example of a denarius from my collection with a Beckmann type 2 portrait for comparison.

    [​IMG]
    Faustina II, AD 147-175.
    Roman AR Denarius, 2.84 g, 18.5 mm, 6 h.
    Rome, c. Autumn-late AD 151.
    Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, bare-headed and draped bust right.
    Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing facing, head left, holding skirt and cornucopiae.
    Refs: RIC III 501 (Pius); BMCRE 1078 note (Pius); Cohen/RSC 46; RCV --; CRE 166; ERIC II --.

    The type 3 portrait depicts Faustina with a series of horizontal waves in her hair gathered in a bun that is large and placed fairly high on the back of the skull. It reminds me of Julia Domna's hairstyle in many ways. A sculpture of Faustina in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens best illustrates this.

    12345 Faustina II 1.jpg
    Portrait head of the empress Faustina the Younger. Thasian marble. Found in Athens. Accession number: 442. National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Athens, Greece. Photo by George E. Koronaios and used by permission.

    12345 Faustina II 2.jpg
    The same sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto and used by permission.

    Here are examples of silver and gold coinage featuring the Beckmann type 3 hairstyle.

    [​IMG]
    Aureus, RIC 503. Künker, Auction 304, lot 1183, 19 March 2018.

    [​IMG]
    Unique denarius featuring Beckmann’s type 3 hairstyle and the FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL obverse legend. Aureo & Calicó S.L., IMAGINES IMPERATORUM lot 120, 15 February 2012.

    The hairstyle is quite rare on bronze coinage. Beckmann incorrectly reports its use in bronze is limited to "a single dupondius (BMCRE Pius 2172) ... depicting Venus standing with staff ..."[3] For I am aware of at least two other examples of a middle bronze with this bust type, ANS 1995.11.472 and this one in my own collection.

    Faustina Jr VENVS S C apple and scepter MB long obv inscr type 3 hairstyle Romae Aeternae.jpg
    Faustina II, AD 147-175.
    Roman Æ as or dupondius, 9.96 g, 26 mm, 7 h.
    Rome, mid AD 151-mid AD 152.
    Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann type 3 hairstyle).
    Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter.
    Refs: RIC 1408(6); BMCRE 2170-72; Cohen 251; RCV --; Strack 1311.

    Moreover, I had the opportunity to acquire this sestertius for my own collection, which depicts Faustina II with the Beckmann type 3 hairstyle and the same Venus standing with apple and scepter reverse type as the middle bronzes described above.

    Faustina Jr VENVS S C apple and scepter sestertius long obv inscr type 3 hairstyle.jpg
    Faustina II, AD 147-175.
    Roman orichalcum sestertius, 24.00 g, 32.2 mm, 5 h.
    Rome, mid AD 151-mid AD 152.
    Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann type 3 hairstyle).
    Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter.
    Refs: RIC 1387b; BMCRE 2168; Cohen 250; RCV --; Strack 1311.

    Now, I don't expect anyone to have a Faustina coin with this hairstyle (though if you do, please show it off!), so let's just see whatever Faustina II coins you would like to show off!

    ~~~

    Notes

    1. Curtis L. Clay elucidated this chronology by comparing the denarii of Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Faustina and their representation in the Reka Devnia hoard, personal communication, 13 September, 2021.

    2. Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, p. 44.

    3. Ibid., p. 46.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2021
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  3. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ??!!?? :p..
     
    sand likes this.
  4. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]

    Doh.jpg
     
  5. shanxi

    shanxi Well-Known Member

    Faustina_II_R640.jpg
    This should be a Beckmann 3 type ?


    Faustina II
    AR-Denar, Rome
    Obv.: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, draped bust right, unusual hairstyle (unbroken legend)
    Rev.: CONCORDIA, Concordia seated left holding flower, resting elbow on cornucopia, which is by her chair; under chair globe.
    Ag, 18mm, 3.49g
    Ref.: RIC III 502a3 var., CRE 167 var.(hairstyle)
     
  6. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Wow!! That is!!! Rare one!
     
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  7. shanxi

    shanxi Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the confirmation. Now I can add this new information to my description. :happy:
     
    Roman Collector likes this.
  8. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

  9. sand

    sand Well-Known Member

    Close enough. I'll take it. Happy Faustina Friday!
     
  10. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    I am taking tomorrow off, so today is Faustina Friday to me. :)
    Thanks for another informative writeup, @Roman Collector.

    Looks like I don't have a type 3 Faustina hairstyle, only type 2.
     
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  11. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    It's Friday for me too! That is a very nice Denarius RC!

    I finally took a mediocre pic of this one.

    FaustinaJr.jpg
    Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL / draped bust right, no hair accessories around head.
    Rev: VENVS / Venus standing left with apple and dolphin-entwined rudder.
     
  12. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    My closest to Type 3... only if Faustina placed the bun higher up onto her head. :)
    =FaustinaThraceBronze2.jpg
     
  13. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Hehe, happy Friday eve!
    Great hairstyle RC:woot:
    Here's my current fav Fausty (that's my pet name for her)
    Screenshot_20210825-135611_PicCollage-removebg-preview~2.png
     
  14. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's type5!
     
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  15. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    Thanks, RC. :)
     
    Roman Collector likes this.
  16. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    Happy Faustina Friday RC! :)
     
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  17. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    I tried to google her hairstyles types , the first result was another thread of yours:
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/th...-on-denarii-issued-by-marcus-aurelius.356798/

    These are my latest Faustina II coins, I received the sestertius few hours ago.
    I think both are the 2b type ?

    Faustina II AE Sestertius, RIC 1654
    FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, wearing a strand of pearls /
    LAETITIA S-C, Laetitia standing left holding wreath & scepter. Cohen 149.
    32 mm / 20.1 g
    faustinaII6 1.jpg

    Faustina II Denarius, RIC 696
    FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right wearing strand of pearls /
    IVNONI REGINAE, Juno standing left holding patera & long scepter, peacock at foot left. RSC 139a.
    18 mm / 3.1 g
    faustinaII4.jpg
     
  18. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Both type 7. I'll have to do a Faustina Friday about all of her different hairstyles. Beckmann identified 10!
     
    singig likes this.
  19. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    Thanks !! @Roman Collector
    Does this type classification also apply to her provincial coinage ?
     
  20. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    Faustina II, AE23 of Bizya, Thrace. Moushmov 3458; Varbanov 1439
    ΦAYCTEINA CEBACTH, draped bust right / BIZYHNΩN, Artemis huntress, in short tunic, walking right, holding bow in left hand and reaching for an arrow from quiver.
    23 mm / 8.1 g
    faustinaII3.jpg

    Faustina II AE Sesterius, RIC 1642, Cohen 112, BMC 911
    FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / HILARITAS S-C, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae.
    31 mm / 20.4 mm
    faustinaII1.jpg
     
  21. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    For the most part, provincial portraits can be classified like their imperial counterparts.
     
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