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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 4580696, member: 75937&quot;]I have two examples of a middle bronze of Faustina Jr in my collection of the same reverse type. Nonetheless, they couldn&#039;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°.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1134522[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1134523[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1937-0607-66" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1937-0607-66" rel="nofollow">example in the British Museum</a> 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).</p><p><br /></p><p>What&#039;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, &quot;There is no general way of distinguishing the two denominations. <i>For the most part they seem to be Asses</i> [emphasis mine]. In the case of individual specimens, weight and colour usually permit of a decision.&quot; Does die-axis say anything about the denomination or issue? I have no idea.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are the details:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1134528[/ATTACH] </p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman Æ as, 6.07 g, 24.3 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 156-158.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>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.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1389a; BMCRE 2202; Cohen 17; Strack 1333; Sear 4721.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1134527[/ATTACH] </p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman Æ as or dupondius, 12.05 g, 25.3 mm, 12 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 156-158.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>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.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1389a; BMCRE 2202; Cohen 17; Strack 1333; Sear 4721.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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