New acquisition -- lifetime as of Faustina I with IVNONI REGINAE

Faustina's life was cut tragically short. She died in October or November of AD 140, at the age of 40, a mere two years after receiving the title of Augusta following her husband Antoninus Pius' assumption of the imperial purple in AD 138.

Following her death, Pius issued an astonishingly large series of posthumous issues in her name, dwarfing the coinage produced in her lifetime. There are literally dozens of different reverse types in each denomination of these posthumous coins. In contrast, her lifetime issues are limited in scope and reverse types and are not nearly as commonly encountered in the market.

Her lifetime issues are typically divided into three periods, characterized by different obverse legends.

Gold and silver coins of the first issue, AD 138 bear the legend FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG, "Faustina, (wife) of Antoninus." Those of the second issue, AD 138-139 reflect Antoninus Pius' title of Pater Patriae, "Father of the Fatherland," and bear the inscription FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG P P. The issues of AD 139-140 bear the legend FAVSTINA AVGVSTA.

The inscriptions on the aes coinage are even more limited; all reflect Pius' title of Pater Patriae and were issued from AD 138-140. They bear the inscriptions FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P.*

Post anything you feel is relevant!

*Cohen reports a sestertius bearing the obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVG PII P P (C 218, cited by RIC as 1077b) but I am unable to find a single specimen at any of the online databases (acsearchinfo, Coin Archives, Wildwinds, The Coin Project, Coryssa, OCRE) and I am not convinced the coin exists.

Here's the new one:


Faustina I, AD 138-140.
Roman Æ as, 10.10 g, 27.1 mm, 11 h.
Rome, AD 139-140.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG AN-TONINI AVG PII P P, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: IVNONI REGINAE S C, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter; at her feet, peacock standing left, head right.
Refs: RIC 1091; BMCRE 1129-1130; Cohen --; RCV --; ERIC II 280.

The coin also comes in a variety without the peacock at Juno's feet, RIC 1090, BMCRE 1128, Cohen 217, RCV 4682. Here's the example from the British Museum:



Aureii were issued with this reverse type, one bearing the obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG P P (RIC 331) and another bearing the obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVGVSTA (RIC 338).

A denarius was issued with this reverse type with the obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVGVSTA (RIC 338). From my collection:


Faustina I, AD 138-140.
Roman AR denarius, 3.31 g, 18.7 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 139-140.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: IVNONI REGINAE, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter; at her feet, peacock standing left, head right.
Refs: RIC 338; BMCRE 137; Cohen 215; RCV 4669; UCR 342; CRE 100.

In addition, this reverse type is found on sestertii with (RIC 1078) and without a peacock (RIC 1077) on the reverse. I do not have examples in my collection (yet).

 

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Nice new pick-up @Roman Collector !

 

Wow, that's amazing !

Q

 

Very nice, congrats.

 

Nice examples, Roman Collector. The information on the various titles used on these lifetime Faustina's is useful. I have but one AE lifetime Faustina I, a sestertius with a poor complexion:




Faustina I Æ Sestertius
(c. 138-141 A.D.)
Rome Mint
FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P, draped bust right / VENERI AVGVSTAE S-C, Venus standing right drawing up robe from right shoulder and holding apple.
RIC 1081; Sear 4677.
(25.12 grams / 32 mm)