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 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: As or dupondius, 10.37 g, 25.4 mm, 5 h. RIC 1179; BMCRE 1582; RCV --. Sestertius, 24,70 g, 31.6 mm, 5 h. RIC 1124; BMCRE 1519, RCV 4617. ~~~ New acquisition #2: 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): 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: Sestertius, 21.39 g, 29.5 mm, 11 h. RIC 1125; BMCRE 1521; RCV 4618.
Here's a recent acquisition of Faustina I. 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
Here is a denarius of Faustina in my collection. This one has an AETERNITAS reverse type. RIC III - Rome, 348 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.
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.
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 wowza. That is one beautiful Faustina!