Here are three different Faustina obverses, on four coins; one from an issue while she was still alive, and three that are posthumous. Because of the extensive coinage Antoninus had ordered for the consecration of his late wife in 140, and the longer period of time those coins were being issued, Faustina's posthumous coinage now tends to be more plentiful than her life issues. There were three distinct issues of coins for her while she was still alive, which are distinguished by obverse inscriptions. There were three more for her posthumous issues, all three of which begin with the word "DIVA".
LIFE ISSUES: three issues differentiated by obverse inscription.
The first coin I show here is
BMCRE #41 (under Pius) from her second issue in life, 139 A.D. It is distinguished by the addition of the epithet PP (
Parens Patriae ?) to what had been the inscription for her first "life issue." Of special interest is the arrangement of her hair and hairpieces, to quote
BMCRE "...The hair is elaborately waved and coiled, with bands across the head, is drawn up at the back and piled in a round coil on top." (
BMCRE IV, Catalog p.8) Note that this style is also to be found among her posthumous issues.
FAVSTINA AVG - ANTONINI AVG PP
bust of Faustina facing r, arranged as noted above.
CONCORDIA AVG
Concordia, draped, seated left on throne, feet on low stool, holding patera in extended r. hand and resting l arm on side of throne: under elbow, statuette of Spes standing r. on low base, under throne cornucopiae.
Although this coin matches the plate coin for
BMCRE #41, I do not see a cornucopia under the throne.
POSTHUMOUS ISSUES: three issues differentiated by obverse inscription, however the second issue was almost entirely in gold with but a single example in base silver for the denarii.
FIRST issue: With DIVA AVG FAVSTINA obverse inscription. Less commonly seen.
BMCRE (Pius) 287
Obv.: DIVA AVG - FAVSTINA
......her bust r.; hair styled as before, but veiled.
Rev.: AETER - NITAS
......Providentia stg l. holding globe in extended r. hand and vertical scepter in l.
The reverse central figure with this inscription varies; sometimes Juno, sometimes Fortuna, each differentiated by what they hold forward.
THIRD issue: DIVA FAVSTINA obverse inscription
The posthumous third issue was later than the other two, but ran the longest and was most extensive. Two break patterns for its inscription were used; the one here, and another as DIVA favorite - STINA
The coinage for this issue with the AVGVSTA reverse was extensive represented by 69 catalog entries (
BMCRE 389-458) 13 entries for gold and the rest silver (denarii)
BMCRE 421
Obv.: DIVA - FAVSTINA
......bust r. hair arrainged as in life issue, but with additional braids/netting running behind and across.
Rev.: AVG - VSTA
......Ceres, veiled, draped, standing front, head l., holding long torch, vertical, in r. hand, and raising fold of drapery in l.
BMCRE 435
Obv.: DIVA - FAVSTINA
......same as above
Rev.: AVG V - STA
......Vesta veiled, draped, standing l., holding simpulum in r. hand and palladium in l.
I was surprised to learn that they got so much mileage out of a reverse type by mixing figures and attributes.
Posted 03/15/2017 5:58 pm
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