Guys lets share some coins of Faustina senior wife of antonius pius FAUSTINA SENIOR WIFE OF ANTONINUS PIUS AR DENARIUS RIC 351 (Antoninus Pius after 141 C.E.), RSC 32, AEF, 19.3mm, 3.49 grams Obverse: DIVA FAUSTINA surrounding bust of Faustina to right Reverse: AETERNITAS, around Providentia standing left, holding globe and veil that billows around her head
Okie dokie. I've shown this before so sorry if people are tired of it. FAUSTINA I AE Sestertius Rome after 141 AD DIVA FAV-STINA Draped bust right AETERNITAS, SC in fields. Aeternitas seated left holding pheonix on globe and sceptre. RIC 1103A, Sear 4606, BMC 1482, Cohen 15 30.43 grams, 32mm
I love coins of Antonine women and have 44 different coins of Faustina Senior. One of the more interesting types is this architectural issue depicting the temple to Diva Faustina, which was later rededicated to Divus Antoninus and Diva Faustina. Construction was completed about AD 150, which is the date assigned this coin was issued. The shell of the building still survives in the Roman Forum, enclosing the church of S. Lorenzo in Miranda. I wrote a short article about it here. Faustina Senior, Augusta AD 138-141. Roman AR denarius, 3.27 g, 17.5 mm, 5 h. Rome under Antoninus Pius, AD 150. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right. Rev: AED DIV FAVSTINAE, hexastyle temple on podium; statues to right and left and seated figure of Faustina in center; statues of Victory at corners of pediment. Refs: RIC 343; BMCRE 341; Cohen 1; RCV 4573; CRE 126.
Here is my Sestertius of her: DIVA FAUSTINA - draped bust of Faustina Senior right, wearing tutulus of pearls IVNO S C - Juno standing left, holding sceptre and showing patera Sestertius, Rome after 147 a.D. 31 mm / 22 gr RIC 1143, BMCRE 1531, Cohen 210, Sear 4629, Banti 73 (35 Specimens)
Found this in a batch of uncleaned many years ago: Bronze Sestertius Rome mint, after A.D. 141 Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA Rev: AVGVSTA - Ceres, standing, facing left, holding corn ears and torch, between S and C RIC 1118 31x29mm, 24.6g.
I really like your Diva Faustina coin. She has a kind and compassionate expression on her face. I don't know if those traits were part of her personality however.
Thanks @Deacon Ray I am not sure actually what was her personality but nothing too crazy have been mentioned about her
Here are some bronzes with smooth, black patinas! AVGVSTA, Ceres standing left, holding corn ears and a long torch (top) and a short torch (bottom).
Much of the coinage for Faustina was posthumous, having been produced in her honor by order of her bereaved husband Antoninus Pius. However, there were coins issued for her prior to her death. The imbalance in numbers is great enough that her lifetime issues are not often seen; witness the fact that in this thread so far only Bing has shown us an example (though he did not mention it). Nonetheless, prior to her death in 141 coins were issued in her honor as Augusta. With regard to the issues in silver (denarii) her lifetime issues are grouped according to three obverse inscription types. Earliest: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG Rev: VESTA Vesta seated facing left; holds out Palladium (r), and scepter (l) Second: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PP Rev. CONCOR – DIA AVG Concordia seated facing left, holds out patera (r); leans on throne (l) Third (and most common): FAVSTINA - AVGVSTA Rev. CONCOR – DIA AVG; Concordia standing facing left, holding out patera in (r) and cornucopia in (l). Here are a few more under the type three obverse all with the reverse inscription IVNONI - REGINAE but with different types: Rev. IVNONI - REGINAE Juno stands facing left; holds patera (r) and long scepter (l) Rev. IVNONI REGINAE; 2 subtypes with variations on a common theme: Ornamented throne draped low with scepter leaning to right, and a peacock facing right in full display standing atop the seat. Plain throne draped high with scepter leaning to right, and a peacock facing right in full display standing on floor in front. The throne and peacock motif continued in use on her posthumous issues, but with AETERNITAS and AVGVSTA inscriptions, not always with the peacock. (I have a group of those which I could show separately.) There are other lifetime examples, but this gives you the main types.
Great post, @lrbguy ! I have only a single lifetime issue of Faustina I among my 44 examples of her coins: Faustina Senior, AD 139-141. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 15.43 g, 28.5 mm, 5h. Rome, AD 139. Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: CONCORDIA AVG SC, Condordia standing left, holding patera and couble cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 1088; BMCRE 1125; Cohen 152; RCV 4641 var (no column). And there is an earlier variety of obverse inscription on her posthumous issues: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA or DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA: Faustina Senior, AD 139-141. Roman AR denarius, 3.06 g, 17.5 mm, 5h. Rome, AD 141-147. Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, Ceres standing left, raising right hand and holding short torch in left. Refs: RIC 382a; BMCRE 301; Cohen 166; RCV 4593 var. (obv. inscription); CRE 87. Faustina Senior, AD 138-141. Roman AR denarius, 3.29 g, 18.6 mm, 8 h. Rome, AD 145. Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, draped bust right. Rev: PIETA-S AVG, Pietas standing left, sacrificing over altar to left and holding box of incense. Refs: RIC 394a; BMCRE 313; RCV 4588; Cohen 234; UCR 654; CRE 114. Faustina Senior, AD 138-141. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 12.07 g, 26.6 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 141. Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, veiled and draped bust, right. Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Providentia standing left, holding globe and scepter. Refs: RIC 1163ab; BMCRE 1459; Cohen 38 var; RCV 4635.