So far, I have only this Commodus Dupondius: Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ Dupondius. Rome mint. Radiate bust right / Libertas standing left, holding pileus and rod. But today was arrived in the mail box one significantly nicer example: Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ Dupondius. Rome mint. Radiate head right / Fortuna seated left, holding rudder set on globe and cornucopia. RIC III 516. Please post your dupondii.
Like your original, mine could also stand an upgrade: Rome mint Obv: CRISPINA AVGVSTA Rev: VENUS - Venus, standing, facing left, holding apple and drawing drapery from back of neck with right hand, between S and C RIC (commodus) 684 24mm, 11.4g. The daughter of a consul under Antoninus Pius, Crispina was married to Commodus by arrangement of Marcus Aurelius. The marriage was not a success, and Crispina was implicated in an adultery scandal–and possibly even a plot again Commodus’ life–and exiled to Capri, where she was eventually murdered.
Here's a dupondius of his mother. It's harder on coins of women from this period to tell an as from a dupondius because there is no equivalent of a radiate crown to distinguish the two denominations. Typically, one has to tell by color or simply call it a middle bronze. This one has the brassy highlights of orichalcum and is therefore a dupondius: Faustina Jr, under Antoninus Pius, 147-161. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 11.60 gm, 25.5 mm, 2 h. Rome, AD 152-153. 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 -- Note: Obverse die match to British Museum specimen.
I love middle bronzes... that new one is indeed a beauty! Will you keep both? It's nice to have an example as Caesar (something I still lack). Here's a dupondius of his dad, and an as of Commodus:
That is very nice dupondius of Marcus Aurelius and very interesting bust of Commodus with lion skin. For now I keep both dupondii.
