Featured New Faustina I acquisitions -- Vesta reverse types

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Feb 24, 2019.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    As you know, I actively collect the coins of women of the Antonine dynasty and my focus of late has been on Faustina I. Here are a couple of coins of Faustina I acquired this month, each with Vesta on the reverse.

    Vesta is the Roman version of the Greek goddess Hestia. She was the goddess of family values and domestic life (i.e. the hearth). Vesta was considered by the Romans to be a role-model for women and as such, she appears frequently on coins of the Roman empresses. She is always depicted wearing the stola and holding some combination of a patera, simpulum, scepter (hasta), torch, or Palladium. The maintenance of her cult was carried out by six Vestal Virgins who sometimes are depicted on coins sacrificing before her circular temple

    Post your coins of Vesta, Faustina I, the Temple of Vesta, or anything you feel is relevant!

    New acquisition #1:

    Faustina Sr VESTA denarius.jpg
    Faustina I, AD 138-141.
    Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 18.0 mm, 7 h.
    Rome, AD 147-161.
    Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: VESTA, Vesta standing left, holding Palladium and scepter.
    Refs: RIC 400; BMCRE 485; RSC/Cohen 291; RCV 4601; CRE 152; ERIC II 136.

    This is the only denarius of Faustina I depicting Vesta standing and holding the Palladium and scepter (the existence of RIC 369 is doubtful).

    This goddess is elsewhere portrayed with these attributes on coins of Diva Faustina only on bronzes of the AVGVSTA series:

    Faustina Sr AVGVSTA Vesta standing As.jpg
    As or dupondius, 10.37 g, 25.4 mm, 5 h. RIC 1179; BMCRE 1582; RCV --.

    Faustina Sr AVGVSTA Vesta standing sestertius.jpg
    Sestertius, 24,70 g, 31.6 mm, 5 h. RIC 1124; BMCRE 1519, RCV 4617.

    ~~~

    New acquisition #2:

    Faustina Sr S C Vesta standing torch and Palladium as.jpg
    Faustina I, AD 138-141.
    Roman Æ as or dupondius, 12.70 g, 27.1 mm, 6 h.
    Rome, AD 147-161.
    Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: S C, Vesta standing left, holding torch and Palladium.
    Refs: RIC 1196; BMCRE 1599-1602; Cohen 269; RCV 4656; ERIC II 344.

    There is also a sestertius version of this coin (this one shows a very different style of Palladium):

    Faustina Sr S C Vesta standing torch and Palladium sestertius.jpg
    Sestertius, 20.72 g, 30.6 mm, 11 h. RIC 1151; BMCRE 1536-37; RCV 4633.

    The goddess is not portrayed on silver or gold issues with these particular attributes, though she does appear on sestertii bronzes of the AVGVSTA series, such as this sestertius in need of a serious upgrade:

    Faustina Sr AVGVSTA Vesta standing torch and Palladium sestertius.jpg
    Sestertius, 21.39 g, 29.5 mm, 11 h. RIC 1125; BMCRE 1521; RCV 4618.
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
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  3. Gary R. Wilson

    Gary R. Wilson ODERINT, DUM METUANT — CALIGULA

    Here's a recent acquisition of Faustina I.

    Faustina I - Æ Sestertius 52.jpg Faustina I - Æ Sestertius.jpg

    Ruler: Faustina I (Augusta)
    Coin: VF Brass Sestertius
    DIVA FAVSTINA - Draped bust right, hair coiled on top of head.
    CERES - Ceres standing left, holding corn-ears and long, vertical torch; S-C across fields.
    Exergue:


    Mint: Rome (after 141 AD)
    Wt./Size/Axis: 21.65g / 32mm / 12h
    References:
    RIC 1128
    Sear 4621
    Acquisition/Sale: indalocolecciones eBay $0.00 12/18
     
  4. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

  5. Fugio1

    Fugio1 Well-Known Member

    Here is a denarius of Faustina in my collection. This one has an AETERNITAS reverse type. RIC III - Rome, 348 DivaFaustinaSr.jpg
    This example, as most often seen, is a posthumous issue. When I was actively collecting Roman Imperial, I was always in pursuit of a lifetime issue. Never acquired one.
     
  6. dlhill132

    dlhill132 Member

    RC, nice new coins of Faustina.

    Doug

    34.jpg
     
  7. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  8. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    Here is my recent Faustina I purchase. 3.63 g Denarius. Reverse Ceres standing. :)

    zz-Faustina01.jpg
     
  9. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Wow! That's what you call high-grade!
     
    happy_collector likes this.
  10. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    Julia Mamaea
    Augusta, A.D. 222-235
    Silver Denarius
    Rome mint
    Obv: IVLIA MA-MAEA AVG
    Rev: VESTA - Vesta standing left, holding patera and transverse scepter
    RIC 362
    21x19mm, 2.9g.
     
  11. arizonarobin

    arizonarobin Well-Known Member

    My kind of thread :)

    @Roman Collector beautiful coins of Faustina I, the Vesta denarius is a great addition. One I have not yet added to my collection!

    @happy_collector :wideyed: wowza. That is one beautiful Faustina!
     
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