Back in September 2017 I needed help with a Faustina II as I picked up at my local dealer for ten bucks. Roman Collector helped me out with attribution because I was finding examples hard to find on line (thanks again, RC!). https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-ii-dupondius-attribution-help-please.302709/ Faustina II Æ As (c. 153-155 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, draped bust right / FELICITAS SC, Felicitas standing left with caduceus, left hand on hip. RIC (Pius) 1395; Cohen 108 (10.10 grams / 25 mm) "British Association" type. Today I decided to start looking again into this coin, which again, I thought would be quite common. As I started digging, I found some interesting information regarding this and other as and dupondius issues from the Hadrian to Antoninus Pius era - apparently some of these were issued exclusively (almost exclusively?) for use in Britain. This conclusion came from here: D. R. Walker, Roman Coins from the Sacred Springs at Bath. This study came about after excavations at Bath where over 12,000 Roman coins were found, some of which are not seen anywhere else but Britain. I haven't read the book so I am sort of going off online stuff. None available on Amazon right now: https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Coins-Sacred-Springs-Bath/dp/0947816992) Although I couldn't find Walker, I did find Sam Moorhead's article, covering the same topic: http://www.academia.edu/12608461/Co..._David_Shotter_with_additions_by_Sam_Moorhead According to Moorhead's article, my coin is featured in Walker's book: pp. 295 and 299, nos. 437-468, plate XXXVIII. I was pretty excited about this - and it may explain why this particular coin is fairly scarce. None came up on ACsearch, with OCRE and Wildwinds being about the only references I could find. I did find a UK metal detector reference for RIC 1395 - the finder also noted "British Association" - this example is a dupondius, apparently (RIC 1395 came in both denominations): https://finds.org.uk/database/search/results/materialTerm/Copper alloy/reeceID/7/rulerName/Faustina II under Antoninus Pius I thought this information would be of general interest to some out there - do any of you have "British Association" AE's based on Moorhead/Walker research? I know Roman Collector has one, because he shared it on my original post. Please share your coins - and any other information you might have about this.
Wow, @Marsyas Mike ! What a fascinating article! I had no idea! I rephotographed my example of RIC 1395 since I originally posted it: Faustina Jr, Augusta AD 147-175. Roman Æ as or dupondius, 11.41 g, 23.8 mm. Rome, AD 153-155? Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: FELICITAS SC, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus, left hand on hip. Refs: RIC (Pius) 1395; BMCRE 2187; Cohen 108; RCV --. But there is another coin of Faustina II in Moorhead's article in my collection! I purchased it from Nile Ancient Coins in 2007. It is not in RIC or Sear. I wrote about it nearly a year ago and was able to find four other examples online, two with a thin column like this one and two with a thicker column. I think mine is a reverse die-match (though not the obverse) with the one in Moorhead's article. Perhaps @TIF would be so kind as to create overlays of the coins to see. Faustina Jr, under Antoninus Pius, 147-161. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 11.60 gm, 25.5 mm, 2 h Rome, AD 153-155? Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing left, holding apple and leaning elbow against a column Refs: RIC --; BMC p. 856 *; Cohen 271; RCV --. Here is the relevant section from Moorhead's article: One of the examples is the British Museum specimen, with which mine is an obverse die-match, but not a reverse die match: BMC specimen, 13 g Fascinating, fascinating stuff!!
RC, Congratulations on finding a second "British Association" in your collection - I didn't find any others in my own, but am still pretty thrilled to have just one. So I am guessing that the relative scarcity of these (compared to a typical Antonine as/dupondius with a goddess just standing around (as Doug puts it)) is because these had such limited distribution? I know there were special issues from Rome for Syria under Trajan - maybe there are more than we suspect. An interesting line of inquiry.
Digging this old post up because I just got another of these "British Association" AEs as described above. I wasn't really going for another one - it was an accidental eBay purchase - described as a "Sestertius" I could see a radiate crown and made a best offer that was taken. It is my only Antoninus Pius dupondius. It appears that Libertas was a popular type for Britain. I am a little unsure of it's attribution. The legends are fairly clear except at the end of the obverse, where XVII or XVIII is possible. This would be RIC 920 or 932. Both are listed in the article as "British Association" types. https://www.academia.edu/12608461/C..._David_Shotter_with_additions_by_Sam_Moorhead Antoninus Pius Æ Dupondius (153-154 or 154-155 A.D.) Rome Mint ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TRP XV[II or III?], radiate head right / LIBERTAS COS IIII S-C, Libertas standing right holding pileus right hand, left extended. RIC 920 (XVII) or 932 (XVIII) "British Association" type. (12.38 grams / 24 mm) Any other "British Association" types out there?
