Two middle bronzes, one really lightweight, what's going on?

I have two examples of a middle bronze of Faustina Jr in my collection of the same reverse type. Nonetheless, they couldn't be more different. The first is extremely lightweight -- literally half the weight of the second -- and struck on a very thin flan. It is also slightly smaller in diameter than the second and has a die-axis of 180°. The second is of normal weight, diameter and flan thickness, and has a die-axis of 0°.



The example in the British Museum is 13.18 g and 27.9 mm and has a die axis of 180°. It is described as a dupondius in the print edition of BMCRE (see footnote to 2202, p.383).

What's going on here? Is the first an as and the second a dupondius? Both the same denomination but the first is just an anomaly? Were asses and dupondii issued with the same reverse types during the Antonine period? There are examples of this phenomenon among Antonine coins in the British Museum, but Mattingly writes, "There is no general way of distinguishing the two denominations. For the most part they seem to be Asses [emphasis mine]. In the case of individual specimens, weight and colour usually permit of a decision." Does die-axis say anything about the denomination or issue? I have no idea.

Here are the details:


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman Æ as, 6.07 g, 24.3 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 156-158.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL S C, Venus Victrix standing facing, head left, holding Victory on extended right hand and resting left hand on shield, set on helmet.
Refs: RIC 1389a; BMCRE 2202; Cohen 17; Strack 1333; Sear 4721.


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman Æ as or dupondius, 12.05 g, 25.3 mm, 12 h.
Rome, AD 156-158.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL S C, Venus Victrix standing facing, head left, holding Victory on extended right hand and resting left hand on shield, set on helmet.
Refs: RIC 1389a; BMCRE 2202; Cohen 17; Strack 1333; Sear 4721.

 

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They were struck at the same year under the same Emperor. The weight of one is the double of the other. Man.. It's another denomination.

 

LOL, just like a modern US Dime and a US Nickle... ??? Wow, that is kinda odd...

DIME (10cents) NICKLE (5cents)


CONCLUSION: LOL, according to THIS logic, the SMALLER one HAS to be a DUPONDIUS, and the BIGGER one HAS to be an AS!
DUPONDIUS .......................................................... AS


Children: Please do not try this at home...

(And, yes, I do know WHY the size difference between Dime and Nickle. No Moderns folks need not chastise me... )

 

During the Severan period we find quite a number of asses that are thin and softer in details which the references call 'Cast in Gaul'. They are obviously either unofficial or money of necessity used in areas poorly served by the regular coinage. I have not followed the details of the matter but suggest those interested start by searching for 'Cast in Gaul'. I have a few Severans but do not know when they began. What I don't know about the Antonines would fill several massive volumes.

 

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6179019
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5292901
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6116114

The part that bothers me most is how the majority copy 'better' reverses. Are they ancient? Traditional wisdom says they are but why are they mostly types that are very collectible?

 

Interesting conundrum, RC. I have one like that 180-degree rotation. It's very green, but I think it is an as (9.28 grams):


Faustina II Æ As
(c. 156-161 A.D.)
Rome Mint
FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / AVGVSTI PII FIL, Venus standing left holding victory and leaning on shield set on helmet.
RIC 1389a; Cohen 17.
(9.28 grams / 24 mm)

 

Looks like both Faustinas might even be from the same obv. die?

Does the metal show through anywhere on either specimen? If so red = As, yellow = dupondius. Best to always compare with an unpatinated sestertius or middle bronze whose metal is clear, however, to avoid seeing the same coin twice and calling it once a red As and the second time a yellow dupondius, as has happened to me!

Metal color is the surest criterion. Fabric can also help, for example long flan cracks suggest a dupondius, the harder of the two metals, whereas numerous small edge irregularities suggest an As.

Weight hardly matters, since there is great overlap between the weights of the lightest dupondii and the heaviest asses. Die axis makes no difference, as far as I am aware. Dupondii and asses often shared rev. types from about Hadrian on, as we can tell from the coins of the emperors themselves, whose asses are usually laureate while their dupondii are radiate.