Hera on Ancient Coins – Queen of the Gods

[Roman Collector]

Mike Markowitz published a new article on CoinWeek about Hera, Queen of the Gods. Let's see your coins featuring Hera!

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman provincial Æ 31.5 mm, 16.58 g, 6 h.
Phrygia, Laodicea ad Lycum, 156 to c. 165 CE.
Obv: •ΦΑVⳞΤΙΝΑ• ⳞΕΒΑⳞΤΗ•, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ, Hera, turreted, standing facing, head left, holding patera and scepter.
Ref: RPC IV.2 25032 (temporary); BMC –; Mionnet –; Wiczay –; unlisted in numerous other sources.

[shanxi]

Nice coin !

 

Here is a Hera mentioning her name:

 

Nero
Alexandria
Billon-Tetradrachm
Obv.: NEΡΩ KΛAΥ KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEΡ AΥ LIΔ, radiate bust left wearing aegis; L IΔ below year 14 (67/68)
Rev.: HΡA AΡΓEIA, veiled bust of Hera Argeia right, wearing stephane, star in front
Billon, 12.21g, 23x23.5mm
Ref.: Milne 297, Curtis 126, RPC I 5315, BMC Alexandria 133, Geissen 200
Ex Chimpery Agencies (Aug. 1979)

 

[ambr0zie]

I have a Trajan didrachm with the reverse considered Artemis by some authors - but I disagree. The sceptre and patera point to Hera. 

21 mm, 6,60 g.
Cappadocia, Caesarea. Trajan. 98-117 AD. AR didrachm. 112-114 AD. AYTOKΡ KAIC NEΡ TΡAIANO CEB ΓEΡM ΔAK, laureate and draped bust of Trajan, r., seen from rear, globe beneath / ΔHMAΡX EX YΠATO ς, female bust (Hera ?) in chiton, holding spear in r. hand and patera in l.
RPC III, 3006; Sydenham 196a; Metcalf Hoard 335–351 and Pl. 18–19; Metcalf Conspectus 64e; Ganschow 131d.

Edited November 6, 2023 by ambr0zie

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I have a Juno of Lucilla sestertius but technically it is not Hera....

 

[Phil Anthos]

Chalkis, Euboia

340-294 BC AR Drachm (18mm, 3.46g) O: Head of nymph Chalkis (or Hera?) right, hair rolled. R: Eagle flying right, holding serpent in his talons and beak; trophy of arms below. SNG Cop 432; Sear 2482 From the Wallace and BCD collections. ex Pegasi Numismatics Chalkis was an important Ionian colony on the island of Euboia, and the homeland of many Greek colonies in Magna Graecia, including Cumae and Rhegium. After the ruin of neighboring Eretria by Athens, Chalkis was left as the supreme power in the region. However Athens conquered Chalkis in 506 BC, establishing a settlement of 4000 Athenians on the island and leaving all of Euboea as a dependency. A rebellion in 446 was put down by Perikles of Athens, who sent more colonists to settle nearby Histiaea, establishing a firm control of this island which was so strategically important to the security of the mother city. By 410 Euboea had once again regained its’ independence, but fell to the Macedonians under Phillip II, and then finally to Rome. ~ Peter

[Ryro]

Excellent coin and thread idea!

Here are two types not shared yet...

Hera (surprisingly one of the harder of the 12 Olympians to acquire on coin) from Argos, as in Jason, was what looked like a rock when I got it in a lot. I wasn't even sure there was a coin there. I used electrolysis and walah!

Argolis, Argos Æ Dichalkon. Circa 280270/60 BCE Head of Hera right, wearing stephane inscribed APΓE/Athena Promachos left. BCD Peloponnesos1100-4; 3.90g, 18mm 6h. Very Fine

Here Augustus wife is Hera and ironically his promiscuous daughter is none other than the goddess of love:

Posthumous Coinage of Augustus

 

Julia Daughter of Augustus by his first wife Scribonia. Born 39 BC, she was the wife of Marcellus, Agrippa and Tiberius, respectively. Banished by her father to the island of Pandataria in 2 BC, she remained there 5 years and then was allowed to reside in Rhegium, where she died in 14 AD.

Livia and Julia under Augustus. Bronze 10-2 BC, Pergamum/Mysia. LIBIAN HPAN XAPINOS Draped bust of Livia (as Hera) to r. Rev.( IO)YLIAN (AFP)ODIT(HN) Draped bust of Julia (as Venus) to r 18 mm,. 3,79 g. BMC 248. RPC 2359. Vagi 370. Very rare

Ex: Savoca Blue 89

[kirispupis]

Interestingly, Hera isn't so common on coins in my collection.

ELIS, Olympia. 111th Olympiad
336 BCE
AR Stater 22mm, 11.63 g, 6h
Hera mint. Head of Hera right, wearing ornamented stephanos inscribed [FAΛEI]Ω[N] / Eagle standing left, head right, wings spread, on rock; all within wreath.
Seltman, Temple 341–5 var. (dies FG/–); BCD Olympia 159 (same obv. die); HGC 5, 394.

 

Thrace, Aigospotamoi
Late 4th century BCE
Æ 7.04g, 19mm, 12h
Head of Hera to left, wearing triple-pendant earring, necklace and laureate polos
Goat standing to left; ΑΙΓΟΣΠΟ around
SNG Copenhagen 850; HGC 3.2, 1260

 

Thessaly, Perrhaiboi
Circa 400-344 BCE
Æ 7.17g, 22mm, 10h
Veiled head of Hera facing slightly to left
Zeus standing to left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre; ΠΕΡΡΑΙ -ΒΩ-[Ν] to right and left.
Rogers 438 var. (arrangement of ethnic); BCD Thessaly II 557; HGC 4, 156 var. (same).
Ex J. Greiff Collection

 

Argos, Argolis
ca 280-260 BCE
Ae Dichalkon 16.3mm 3.2g
Obv: Head of Hera right wearing stephane inscribed ARGE
Rev: The Palladion standing left holding spear and shield
SNG Cop 57

[AncientJoe]

One of my favorite coins is my Hera stater from Knossos:

A good friend has an incredible talent for depicting coins and other pieces of art with thousands of individual points inked by pen. He very kindly drew the Knossos for me which takes on another level of beauty in this interpreted form:

 

[AncientOne]

16 hours ago, kirispupis said:

Interestingly, Hera isn't so common on coins in my collection.

I was going to say the same thing. For being Queen of the Gods she should have been more prevalent.

 

Thrace, Hadrianopolis. Faustina Jr. AE22. Hera

Obv: FAVCTEINA CEBACTH Drap. Bust r.
Rev: ADRIANO POLEITWN Hera standing l., sacrificing from patera over altar and holding sceptre.

[Phil Anthos]

That's beautiful!

My wife often used that same style.

~ Peter