I signed up for the new CNG web site auctions last week. Just for grins I bid on a coin (with scales). I did not win, but that only leaves more dry powder for cast bronze coins. I did notice something interesting. Two reverses showed a different god holding a scale, see top two coins below. They looked about the same to me. Can you tell the difference? All three coins make the goddess easy to identify by telling us their name. The top coin is Hadrian and Moneta / Scale Hadrian. AD 117-138. AR Denarius (17.5mm, 3.62 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 134-138. Laureate head right / Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. RIC II 256; RSC 966. Very light toning with luster. Choice EF. Struck from dies of fine style, with a wonderful portrait. The second coin is Macrinus and Aequitas / Scale Macrinus. AD 217-218. AR Denarius (21mm, 3.76 g, 6h). Rome mint, 1st officina. 3rd emission, AD 218. Laureate and draped bust right, wearing long beard / Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. RIC IV 53; Clay Issue 3; RSC 2 (Antioch). Some green deposits, mostly on reverse. EF. Struck on a broad flan. The bottom coin is mine - Diocletian and Moneta / Scale Diocletian AD 284-305, AE silvered Follis Obv - IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; Laur. bust r. Rev - SACR MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTR; AQS in ex.; VI in r. field; Moneta standing l. holding scales and cornucopia Mint: AQS = Aquileia Mint Date: 302 - 303 AD Post two coin reverses that look the same, but are different characters.
This site, a new one to me, has a fun (although not sure how useful) search by picture interface. So which is it? Concordia, of course. Plautilla, AD 202-205, struck under Septimius Severus and Caracalla, AD 202-203, Rome, AR denarius Obv: PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Plautilla to right Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing front, head to left, holding patera in her right hand and long scepter with her left Or Venus with an apple in hand that looks a lot like a patera: Lucilla, AD 161-180, Venus reverse, struck under Marcus Aurelius, AR denarius, Rome Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right Rev: VENVS, Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter
Who would this be? I have it as Rev:– FORTVAE(sic) REDVCI, Moneta/Aequitas standing left, holding scales in right hand, cornucopiae in left
A very nice coin. I'm thinking that it is Fortuna, and just as FORTUNA is misspelled, the guy engraving the rudder misdrew the rudder.
At the eastern mints the deity and the legend seem less than formally tied together Pax Hilaritas Pietas ?? (just a variation of Fortuna?) ?? (just a variation of Fortuna?)
I see nothing wrong with the mint using a figure that suggests fairness with Moneta legends. We can not expect coins showing debasement, weight reductions, starvation, pestilence etc. I have always enjoyed the series of Fortuna Reduci shown by maridvnvm. I am Fortunate, Happy and Grateful they went out of their way to show all the ways the people should feel about the emperor's return. One even shows how we should be glad for his rereturn. Notice she is dropping a ball - dropping the 'mike' would not be possible for a few years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mic_drop
Thanks for presenting, an impressive depth of attractive examples & especially love the double cornucopia....all AD 194/195 & "Emesa"? @dougsmit LOL "RE-REDVC" fortuna (?), venus (?), ceres (?)
Lovely coins, @rrdenarius ! You raise interesting points about iconography in Greco-Roman art. There was often overlap between the attributes of the various deities and personifications as well as outright conflation of one deity with another. We see this often in the case of Nemesis. As @Jochen1 has noted elsewhere when speaking of the conflation of Nemesis with other goddesses, "Often these are goddesses who can't be identified exactly. In these cases Pick has used a double name, e.g. Nemesis/Aequitas (with scales) or Homonoia/Nemesis (with cornucopiae). The winged Nemesis usually is called Pax/Nemesis." Here is an example of Nemesis-Aequitas, who also holds scales: Gordian III, AD 238-244, and Tranquillina, AD 241-244. Roman provincial Æ pentassarion, 12.34 g, 26.2 mm, 2 h. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, legate Tertullius, AD 243-244. Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CЄΒ ΤΡΑΝΚVΛ-ΛЄΙΝΑ, confronted busts. Rev: VΠ ΤΕΡΤVΛΛΙΑΝΟC ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛI-ΤΩΝ, Nemesis-Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; wheel at feet; E in field, left. Refs: Varbanov 2052; Moushmov 834; AMNG (Pick) 1185; SNG Cop 260.
