One of the targets in my collection is to get coins depicting different empresses. When I started collecting ancient coins and concentrate on this numismatic area only (less than 1 year ago, but still time flies) I wasn't even aware empresses were represented on coins. And in my first lot I received a Julia Domna and Faustina I denarii, I identified them myself and I decided that more and more are needed in my albums. There are still some missing (some pretty common but there were other priorities; some I will never get, most likely) but I am pleased when I add a new empress or a nice coin from an empress I already have. This weekend was a good day (for my collection, but not for my wallet, grrrr) I added this Marcianopolis with Septimius Severus and Julia Domna, already shown in the Septimius September thread. Love this one and it ticked many boxes for me (empress; good conservation; nice patina; confronted busts; Black Sea coin....) But I also added 2 imperial coins with empresses and I am very happy with them. Saw it after losing some targets in an auction and I was browsing to see what else can I get. First I said OK, here is a Domna with a good enough portrait, if it remains cheap I want it. But checked the coin more carefully and noticed it is more interesting than I thought. 18 mm, 2,68 g RIC IV Caracalla 381 (denarius) Date Range: AD 211 - AD 217 Obv: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, Bust of Julia Domna, hair elaborately waved in ridges and turned up low at the back, draped, right / Rev: MAT AVGG MAT SEN M PATR, Julia Domna, draped, seated left, holding branch in extended right hand and sceptre in left hand I knew about this denarius from this thread https://www.cointalk.com/threads/mat-avgg-mat-sen-m-patr.342635/ For me, it's a VERY interesting coin with a legend that was never used for any other empress so this is already a big plus, not to mention the importance of the legend. And, of course, one cannot say there are too many Julias in a collection. I had Domna, Maesa, Mamaea, Soaemias. Paula required to the party 17 mm, 1,93 g RIC IV Elagabalus 211 S; BMCRE 172 (Elagabalus); RSC 6a Obv: IVLIA PAVLA AVG, Bust of Julia Paula, hair waved and fastened in plait, draped, right / Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia, draped, seated left, holding patera in extended right hand; in field, star The first wife of Elagabalus is the most common one to find from his wives, but from what I've seen, this doesn't make Julia Paula common. I did not look for her coins specifically, to be honest, but the only one I noticed except this one was a very worn provincial, with legends completely gone and that one did not end with a low price. And I knew denarii are not in the 20-40 EUR range, that was what I wanted to pay for the last coin. So I wasn't very optimistic, but I tried. And managed to win it by bidding only once. Pleased with it and definitely OK for a new empress to mark as checked. Please post your new additions with Roman ladies!
Excellent haul! I'm a green with envy of that Septy Julia as it is with that beautiful patina Here's my Domna after her hubbies passing. Garrett Fagan describes her hair as looking like someone dumped a tub of dough on her head in his Great Courses in the Roman empire:
Nice additions, @ambr0zie. I also like collecting Roman coins with female portraits. Started with Faustina I and II, followed by Julia Domna. This year, I picked up coins on Julia Mamaea, Lucilla and Crispina. I still have Sabina and others on my coin list.
I've never been SUPER into female empresses, but I do my due diligence to build a solid amount of the somewhat more uncommon ones: Lucilla: Crispina: Salonina. Salonina is a dime a dozen (sometimes, literally) imperially, but the Alexandrian issues are significantly harder to find for her.
Good, good, keep them coming. I checked my catalogue and here are the Roman ladies present, sorted alphabetically : Crispina Faustina I Faustina II Julia Domna Julia Maesa Julia Mamaea Julia Paula Julia Soaemias Lucilla Otacilia Severa Plautilla Sabina Salonina Two easy to obtain ones would be Herennia Etruscilla and Severina. I don't concentrate on 4th century so nothing there yet. I am not sure if I'll be able to get a Plotina, Matidia, Marciana or the ones before them.
VERINA - VICTORY Ex: Warren Esty @Valentinian Extremely rare AE2 of Verina, wife of Leo I, 457-475 According to ERIC II, the 167th most common Roman person on coins. That's rare! 20 mm. Corroded. This is the only AE type for her. AEL VERINA AVG SALVS REPVBLICAE, Victory seated right, inscribing chi-rho on shield. CONE in exergue RIC X, 656, "R3" (extremely rare) possibly minted at Constantinople as the mint mark says, but circulated only near Cherson, in the north Black Sea Crimean region. Not great condition
RI Aelia Flacilla w Theodosius I 373-388 CE 21mm 5.7g Victory Christogram shield Antioch RIC IX 61 DAUGHTER RI Aelia GALLA PLACIDIA Augusta Regent for Valentinian III 423-437 CE d of Theodosius Æ4 Bust E - cross CID visible ex: Frank Robinson FSR 102
My latest coin with an empress is, unsurprisingly, one of Faustina I. This reverse design is only found in the middle bronze denomination. Faustina I, AD 138-140. Roman Æ as or dupondius, 8.15 g, 26 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 145-147. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: AVGVSTA S C, Ceres seated left, holding corn ears and long torch. Refs: RIC 1170; BMCRE 1577-78; Cohen 109; Strack 1289; RCV 4647.
