Hello ladies and gentlemen, Trying to get the RIC number for this Faustina coin. From the size/weight - 27 mm, 10,95 g it is an As. Obv DIVA AVGVSTA FAVUSTINA, reverse AETERNITAS. What confuses me is the left hand of the deity, as I cannot find a match at all. Most likely it is similar to http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.3.ant.1108a?lang=en Or something close but that left hand puzzles me. Could you please have a look?
That is RIC 1163ab, BMC 1459-61. I have a couple of examples of this coin. Faustina I, AD 138-140. Roman Æ as, 12.87 g, 26.4 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 140-141. Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, bust of Faustina I, draped and veiled, right. Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Providentia, draped, standing left, holding globe on extended right hand and vertical scepter in left hand. Refs: RIC 1163ab; BMCRE 1459; RCV 4635; Cohen --; Strack 1230. Faustina Senior, AD 138-141. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 12.07 g, 26.6 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 141. Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, veiled and draped bust, right. Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Providentia standing left, holding globe and scepter. Refs: RIC 1163ab; BMCRE 1459; Cohen --; RCV 4635; Strack 1230.
Thanks @Roman Collector , much appreciated. I suspect it is not a rarity, especially in this condition, but I won't say no.
You're welcome. And no, it's not a rarity. But it IS a Faustina coin and one simply can't obtain enough coins of Faustina I.
Especially when you're a beginner like me I don't hunt rarities and I am content with a coin if it can be identified without doubt.
Nice OP - I like the colors. And RC, as always, an impressive batch of Faustinas. Any Faustina with a veil seems at least a bit scarce, at least compared to the unveiled types. Here is what I think is RIC 1163 without the veil. It is in horrible shape and I had some difficulty attributing it: Faustina I Æ As 5th Phase: Anniversary of Faustina’s Deification (c. 150-160 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA FAV STINA, draped bust right / A[ETERNITA]S S C, Providentia standing left, holding globe & vertical sceptre. RIC 1163B (?) (9.68 grams / 24 mm) Attribution Note: RIC 1163B is considered a bad description of another type, according to Diva Faustina I: undated, Nov. 140 – 161 RIC 1163A with AVGVSTA is common; this one has no AVGVSTA. Attribution to 5th Phase is based on Providentia types holding globe and drawing out veil.
That's me. The only ancient coins I have are the ones I have cleaned myself. The cleaning and identification is my fun. Everyone has a different focus on collecting. Reading these posts is another pastime of mine. I learn something every time I open one.
I started collecting ancient coins about 2 months ago. I had a few, but only bought them for my curiosity, and of course they were in poor shape. I think the price for this Faustina was good - 11 euros.
I don't think that's RIC 1163 because its obverse inscription is DIVA FAVSTINA, not DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA. Moreover, I'm not sure that reads AETERNITAS on the reverse. Could it be AVGVSTA S C on the reverse with Vesta holding a Palladium and long torch, RIC 1178?
Thanks RC - I believe you are right - I think I can make out a Palladium rather than a globe. Faustina, as much as I am fond of her coins, often baffles me!
I think, even more clearly than the palladium, that the STA on the reverse at the end of AVGVSTA is there, eliminating AETERNITAS as a possibility.
I think I have another one - a gift from a very generous CT member. I had this one attributed as RIC 1173 - the reverse stuff is much easier to see: Faustina I Æ As 3rd Phase, part 2: wedding of Faustina II to M. Aurelius (c. 145-150 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AVGVSTA S-C, Vesta standing left with palladium and torch. RIC 1178; Cohen 114. (9.62 grams / 25 x 22 mm)
Just a question please for @Roman Collector and other specialists. How do you know if this type of coin is Dupondius or As? I know radiated crown should be the answer, but looking at the examples on post #2 I cannot see the difference.
The top one is RIC 1155, BMCRE 1540, Juno raising hand and holding scepter: I think the one on the bottom might be RIC 1173, BMCRE 1572 (British Museum specimen shown below):
The only way to know is by trying to see if any of the bare metal shows through the patina. On this one, coppery-red shows through: And on this one, brassy yellow shows through:
Would that mean my example is an As, like I first suspected (not knowing that the difference is very subtle)?
Yes, if you think that's copper showing through. Asses, as a general rule -- you can't rely on this -- weigh less than dupondii, and yours is about the weight of a typical as of the period.
Thank you for your explanations. The coin is not yet with me, just won it. Will have to check it in hand, however the reddish shade makes me think it is an As. A decent addition for me, could have been better but the price would have been different as well.
I took some photos of a Faustina I as and dupondius that show some of the differences - the color of the dupondius (right) is brassy. The diameters are close, but the dupondius is considerably thicker. Faustina I Æ As 5th Phase: Anniversary of Faustina’s Deification (c. 150-160 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AETERNITAS S C, Pietas standing left, raising right hand and holding box of perfumes (no altar). RIC 1162a; Cohen 44. (10.04 grams / 26 x 23 mm) Faustina I Æ Dupondius 5th Phase: Anniversary of Faustina’s Deification (c. 150-160 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AETERNI[TAS] S C, Juno standing left with raised right hand and holding scepterin left hand. RIC 1155; Cohen 29; Sear 4636 (13.86 grams / 25 mm) Here is a Faustina as that has been harshly over-cleaned (not by me!) - it is very coppery in color: Faustina I Æ As 5th Phase: Anniversary of Faustina’s Deification (c. 150-160 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AETERNITAS, Pietas standing left by altar, right hand raised, incense box in left hand, S C in field. RIC 1161; BMC 1558. (7.65 grams / 25 mm)