The coinage of Faustina gives us the earliest artistic representation of an imperial funeral pyre on Roman coinage.[1,2] The coins bearing this reverse type were struck during the period from Faustina's death in AD 140 to the point when the next major event in her afterlife occurred, the dedication of her temple in the Roman Forum in 144. However, die-link studies of the sestertii bearing this reverse type suggest that production was most intense and focused immediately after her death.[2] A date of AD 140-141 is not unreasonable to assign to this issue and, indeed, David Sear[1] assigns the sestertius bearing this reverse type a date of AD 141. The remains of the crematorium built by Antoninus Pius for his wife's funeral -- depicted here on this coin -- have been discovered near the Piazza Montecitorio, west of the Corso, in Regio IX.[3] This coin appears to be quite rare in the middle bronze denomination. The British Museum does not have an example and it is not to be found at Wildwinds, OCRE, The Coin Project, coinscatalog.com, in the CNG archives or on a search at acsearchinfo. RIC lists it, citing Cohen. I am unable to find another example anywhere online. If you know of another, please post the link. Let's see your coins depicting funeral pyres, consecration issues, etc.! Post anything you feel is relevant. ~~~ 1. Sear, David R. Roman Coins and Their Values II: The accession of Nerva to the overthrow of the Severan dynasty AD 96 - AD 235, London, Spink, 2002, p. 273. 2. Beckmann, Martin. Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces. American Numismatic Society, 2012, pp. 20-24. 3. Hill, Philip V. The Monuments of Ancient Rome as Coin Types. Seaby, 1989, p. 102. Faustina Senior, AD 138-141. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 12.62 g, 26.5 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 140-141. Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Funeral pyre in three stories, set on base, ornamented and garlanded, surmounted by Faustina in biga right. Refs: RIC 1189; BMCRE p. 236 *; Cohen 187; RCV --.
Great write-up. I learned quite a bit. Here is my Diva Faustina denarius, cause yo bro, you know Faustina be a Diva and she be representing!
unusual funeral pyre , never seen one like that. Congrats Roman collector. Here's a more common one from her husband Antonius Pius issued under Marcus Aurelius:
That is one great coin you have there RC, and very rare the one's I have seen sell for heaps. I have a couple both Antoninus Pius minted under Marcus Aurelius a Sestertius and denarius.
wow! that's a nice & rare coin RC i've just bought a bronze of Antonius Pius like Andreas2 and AA's have. i'll post it when it comes in..till then Diva Faustina, orichalcum dupondius style..
