I've been waiting patiently (well, it's only been 4 days!) for this one to arrive. While the obverse leaves a little to be desired (it's better in hand; see animated GIF below), the reverse is where it's at! It's a PEACOCK! And a biggun at that! This sestertius commemorates the death and deification of Faustina Junior by her husband Marcus Aurelius. There are other reverse types out there (by all means, please share them!), but with less than 30 individual examples on ACSearch I believe this type to be in the scarce category. Faustina II, Wife of Marcus Aurelius AE Sestertius, Struck 175-176 AD Commemorative Issue, Rome mint Obverse: DIVA FAV-STINA PIA, bust, draped, hair elaborately waved in nearly vertical lines and fastened in a low chignon at back of head, down cheek, curls, right. Reverse: CONS[ECRATIO], Peacock, with tail spread, standing front, head and body inclined left, S-C across field at feet. References: RIC III 1703 Size: 28mm, 22.7g There are a few variety of styles for the peacock, some circular plumage while others with zig-zaggy plumage representing each feather. Some small, some large. Mine appears to fall into the larger and zig-zaggy type (VERY similar to the two left reverses). The plumage is even larger than some denarii... Like this 17mm Septimius Severus denarius from Emesa (note some peeking out on both sides): In fact, the bird from head to toes is 18mm, plumage from left to right is 18mm, and plumage from top to bottom is 15mm. Do you have other BIG BIRDS in your collection? Please share any and all! Or anything you find relevant!
What does the peacock signify in the Consecration process? I could look it up but I'm lazy. Nice coin, by the way.
Well, it is a Friday afternoon... I don't blame ya! @Roman Collector provides some details in a thread here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/peacocks-and-the-deification-of-roman-empresses.353949/ And, Thanks!
Nice peacocks! This eagle, with a height almost filling the 25 mm diameter reverse, is probably the biggest bird in my collection: Phoenicia, Tyre AR Shekel. Dated CY 113 = 14/13 BC. Laureate head of Melkart right / ΤΥPΟΥ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΥΛΟΥ, eagle standing left on prow, palm frond behind; to left, PIΓ (date) above club; to right, KP above monogram; Beth between legs. 13.29g, 25mm.
Thanks for the link to the earlier thread. I even posted in it and didn't catch the peacock significance. (symbol of Juno carrying the soul of the departed).
Excellent peacock! Unlike the multitude of chickenish eagles on ancient coins, there's no mistaking that peafowl for anything else! Why yes. Yes I do . THRACE, Hadrianopolis. Gordian III AE 18 mm, 2.59 gm Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓORΔIANOC AVΓ; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: AΔPIANOΠOΛEITΩN; ostrich running like @stevex6 is chasing it with a basting brush Ref: Varbanov 3833, rare https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-now-extinct-animal-on-a-roman-coin.287175/
Wow, @Justin Lee , big coin! Nice find. And agreed, the 3/4 pose looks better. Peacock These birds are a pain in the butt. They crap EVERYWHERE in your yard (like friggin geese), they have an obnoxious CAW that sounds like a mating cat, and they will peck their reflection on car finishes and or your windows. They are dumber than a box of rocks. Peacocks are the males, followed by a harem of peahens. RI Paulina w Maximinus I D before CE 235 AE sestertius 30.77mm 19.66g 2nd emission of Maximinus I CE 236 Consecratio Peacock RIC IV 3 RI Crispina m Commodus 177 CE AR denarius 2.29g Juno stdg peacock RIC-283 RI Mariniana AR Ant 253-254 CE DIVA Crescent - On Peacock flying 21.2mm 3.1g RIC VII 6 Rome
Ha! Wow, that is a GREAT big bird to have on a coin! And a superb description of the reverse! Welp, that solves it... I'll never raise peafowl!
Lol, sorry to burst bubbles! I know @JulesUK wants to get goats, but I did not mean to burst his bubble either. Mine is from personal experiences with raising, or living around lotsa different animals. (Farming or in the wilderness.) LOL, I find that a lot of these “cool” or “cute” critters are a lot more work, or dedication, or pain in the butt. Since my kids loved to have or capture a lot of animals (snapping turtles, wild rabbits, sugar gliders, squirrels, crows, owls, as well as normal pets of all kinds), we got a snoot full of wild animal silliness! Kinda had some fun when we lived in the North Woods of WI. Our house backed up to 100 acres of woods... had a lot of deer migrate through our yard each nite, but my neighbor had a couple taken down by a pack of wolfs in his front yard, TWICE! Blood EVERYWHERE! And we had a black bear mess up my bbq grill on our deck as she was getting to the drippings catcher. We had barn owls in our barns growing up, but they are pretty small. I did have a buddy with his father catch a great horned owl because it had a broken wing. Those are pretty big, and can take the end of your finger off it you aren’t careful when feeding it! It was cool feeding it raw meat! Athens (Attica), 454-404 BC, silver hemidrachm, 16mm, 2.08g Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena w/ frontal eye r., wearing disc earring and pearl necklace Reverse: Owl w/ wings closed, standing facing between olive branches, Greek 'A-TH-E' (counterclockwise) Reference: Krol 12; HGC 4, 1641; Cop 70; SG 2528 Comment: A classical "Athenian owl" hemidrachm from the golden age of Athens - characteristic for the fully facing reverse owl. Appropriately, attributes of the eponymous city's great patron-goddess claim the whole coin. From an Italian collection, formed in the early 1990
Really nice coin Justin.. do not see that every day! Here is a small coin... but the reverse is showing that either Jupiter is REALLY small or this eagle is HUGE! Licinius I. A.D. 308-324. OBV: IMP LICINIUS PF AVG REV: IOVI CONSERVATORI AVG Eagle standing right, looking back, its wings spread, bearing on its back Jupiter seated, left, Holding thunderbolt and transverse sceptre. Mint mark: STR =TR (Trier) preceded by officina S (=2) STRUCK: 318-319AD, Sear 15346 2.85g, 17.47mm
@Justin Lee.....Great coin! Nice touch with the little V clip showing the true detail especially the peacock display!.... Antoninus Pius, 138 - 161 AD, AE Drachm, Egypt, Alexandria Mint, 34mm, 29.55 grams Obverse: Laureate head of Antoninus right. Reverse: L DEKATOV, Zeus holding patera and scetpre reclining left on open wings of eagle. Emmett1699 // Dattari2933 // Koln1560 // Milne1905
No harm, no fowl, er... Foul. It's my wife... I'll pass along this note from you to her. Her aunt has peafoul and they are crazy! Escaped a few times and super hard to wrangle back. My wife is more interested in simply raising some chickens but not with the acrage of the house we just bought, so it'll have to be part of our 15-year plan lol. She wants a small hobby farm with goats too... we keep butting heads over it. We'll see what's in the stars for us with regards to all that.
Chickens are pretty easy. Just get a pre-made house, nothing fancy, and they will go great. Had mainly Rhode Island Reds. Mixes are just fine. A sheep or two will keep your grass down. I’ve had Shropshires and Oxfords. Goats are ok, but bear in mind they get into everything. Cute to watch, but, like I said before, can be a real pain. The peacocks I spoke about were on our property in FL. Wild idiots.