Faustina Friday – A Couple of Bronzes with the Beckmann Type 3 Coiffure

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics! Today I'm going to show off a couple of recent additions to my numophylacium. They have little in common apart from both depicting Faustina the Younger in her Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle. As I have discussed previously, this hairstyle was in use for a short time only, likely in AD 151-152. It appears for the first time in Beckmann's die-linkage study with the FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL obverse inscription, which was in use for about seven or eight months, from the end of summer AD 151 to about June AD 152,[1] and stops shortly after the reinstitution of the FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL legend in the summer of 152, after which time the portrait reverts back to the earlier type 2 portrait.[2] The type 3 portrait depicts Faustina with a series of horizontal waves in her hair gathered in a bun that is large and placed fairly high on the back of the skull.

The first coin I'd like to illustrate is a scarce sestertius with the FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL obverse inscription paired with the CONCORDIA seated reverse type. Not taking hairstyle into account, I have been able to inventory only nine other examples of this coin. Strack cites the BMC, two specimens in the BnF, one in Florence, one in Rome, and one at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. There is one specimen listed at the Portable Antiquities scheme. Only two others appear at acsearchinfo and Coin Archives: Bertolami Auction 24, lot 793 and Gerhard Hirsch, Auction 338, lot 664. Of the three examples illustrated online, all have the Beckmann Type 2 hairstyle. This one has the Type 3 coiffure. The number of specimens with the Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle appears to be very limited. I wish I could see the specimens in the BnF, Rome, Florence, and Hermitage collections for comparison.

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.67 g, 33.2 mm, 6 h.
Rome, late AD 151- mid 152.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII·FIL, bare-headed and draped bust right (Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle).
Rev: CONCORDIA S C, Concordia seated left, holding flower and resting elbow on cornucopiae set on globe under chair.
Refs: RIC 1374b; BMC 2167; Cohen 56; RCV –; Strack 1310 (L,P,P,Fi,R,Le).

The second coin I’d like to illustrate is a provincial issue from Tabala in Lydia. This one also features the empress with her Beckmann Type 3 coiffure.

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman provincial Æ 19.1 mm, 5.23 g, 6 h.
Lydia, Tabala, 2^nd emission, perhaps part of one of the two issues of Menophantos, hiereus, under Pius, AD 151-154.
Obv: ΦΑVϹΤЄΙΝΑ ϹЄΒΑϹ, bare-headed and draped bust right (Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle).
Rev: ΤΑΒΑΛЄΩΝ, cult statue of Artemis of Ephesus wearing kalathos, standing facing.
Refs: RPC IV.2, 3343 (temporary); GRPC 27; SNG Cop 565; Hochard 2308.

The mint at Tabala appears to have issued coins for Faustina with this reverse type over a period of several years because she appears with three hairstyles and several different reverse dies. RPC IV.2, 1527 depicts the empress in her first hairstyle and dates the issue to 147 and the years following. The editors of RPC conjecture it was "perhaps part of one of the two issues of Menophantos, hiereus, under Pius." In addition, RPC, IV.2, 3342 depicts the empress wearing the Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle, which first appears on the imperial coinage in autumn, AD 154.[3] The editors of RPC date that coin to "c. 152-176, perhaps 161-169," even though they attribute it to the reign of Antoninus Pius, who died in AD 161. I think the date range can be narrowed down a bit, however, based on hairstyle. Faustina wore the Type 5 hairstyle up to the birth of her twins in August, AD 161.[4] Allowing for the possibility that the mint in Tabala didn't receive notice of this, AD 163 seems reasonable as the latest date of issue, but this is just conjecture. Interestingly, the mint at Tabala does not seem to have issued any coins for Faustina depicting her in her Type 2 hairstyle, which appears on her imperial coins from AD 149-154.
 

Therefore, I date the three issues as follows:

RPC IV.2, 1527, depicting the empress in the Beckmann Type 1 hairstyle, to AD 147-151.
RPC IV.2, 3343, depicting the empress in the Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle (my coin), to AD 151-154.
RPC IV.2, 3342, depicting the empress in the Beckmann Type 5 hairstyle, to AD 154-163.

Comments and questions encouraged. Feel free to post anything you feel is relevant!

~~~

Notes

1. Curtis L. Clay elucidated this chronology by comparing the denarii of Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Faustina and their representation in the Reka Devnia hoard, personal communication, 13 September 2021.

2. Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, p. 44.

3. Curtis L. Clay, personal communication, 13 September 2021.

4. See the SALVTI AVGVSTAE die sequence in Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, Fig. 4.4, Group 14, p. 54.; also "Portraitbüste Der Faustina Minor." Arachne, University of Cologne Archaeological Institute, https://arachne.dainst.org/entity/148770.

[Ryro]

Lovely coins😍 

I really like the look on the face of Fausty II on the Lydian coin. 

I really want them to be boobs. But the more of them I see the more I think those aren't an upper torso full of boobs. But I'm going to keep studying them until I know for sure... I'll be keeping an eye out for the coins as well!

Aurelian

Pisidia. Kremna AD 270-275. 
Bronze Æ 32mm., 14,18g. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Facing statue of Artemis Ephesia, with supports. nearly very fine Cf. Von Aulock, Pisidien II 1621-3.

Ex Savoca London

Faustina II

 

(147-175 AD) . AE

PAMPHYLIA Aspendus

Weight: 4,48 gr
Diameter: 19,00 mm            Obv: Bust of Faustina II         Rev: Rv. AC, Two cult statues of Artemis and Aphrodite standing facing. Condition: Very Fine.Ex: Ares

Edited July 8, 2022 by Ryro

[Marsyas Mike]

Nice coins, RC.  Back on your original Beckmann Type 3 write-up, I posted a die-link to one of your other examples.  As it is still my only Type 3 hair-do, I'll rerun it again (as Yogi Berra might've said): 

 

Well, it's an old thread, and it is not Friday, but it is Faustina - and what I think is my first Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle. Even more exciting, I am pretty sure it is an obverse die match to the @Roman Collector OP sestertius. Yipee! 


Faustina II Æ Sestertius
(mid 151-early 152 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[FAVST]INA AVG ANTONINI AV[G PII FIL], bare-headed and draped bust right / [VENVS] S C, Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter.
RIC III Antoninus Pius 1387b; BMCRE 2168; Cohen 250.
(27.06 grams / 31 x 30 mm)
eBay Mar. 2022
Notes:
Beckmann type 3 hairstyle.
Obverse Die Match:
Specimen posted on Coin Talk by Roman Collector, Oct. 14, 2021

Here's mine with RC's on the right:

 

Marsyas Mike, Mar 20, 2022Report

#25+ QuoteReply

 

[Spaniard]

@Roman Collector...Nice coins!

I do enjoy your write ups they are very informative and I always come away having learnt something new, Thanks!

Here's my only FII 😱......And you've seen it before, 

Faustina II Junior Silver Denarius 3.36g.,17mm, Rome mint, A.D. 154-156,

Obverse. FAVSTINA AVG-PIIAVGFIL Draped bust of Faustina right,

Reverse. CONC-O-RDIA, Concordia seated left, holding flower & resting left arm on cornucopiae set on globe below seat.

(RCV 4704; RIC 502a)

[curtislclay]

Your new sestertius: I have two coins from that same obv. die and with the same Concordia seated rev. type.

One has S - C in field like yours, but is not from the same rev. die. Acquired from London Ancient Coins Sale 12, 7 June 2012, lot 240.

Second has S - C in exergue, a variety not recorded by Strack. Unfortunately  I forgot to record the source on my coin ticket.

[LONGINUS]

Awesome coins and post, @Roman Collector

You have enlightened and heightened my awareness of all things Faustina. ⭐⭐⭐

 

I posted this one last week but every time I look at it I see something new. 

[ominus1]

2 hours ago, Marsyas Mike said:

Here's mine with RC's on the right:

..by jove!...a match Mike! 🙂

[Roman Collector]

11 hours ago, Ryro said:

Lovely coins😍 

I really like the look on the face of Fausty II on the Lydian coin. 

I really want them to be boobs. But the more of them I see the more I think those aren't an upper torso full of boobs. But I'm going to keep studying them until I know for sure... I'll be keeping an eye out for the coins as well!

Aurelian

Pisidia. Kremna AD 270-275. 
Bronze Æ 32mm., 14,18g. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Facing statue of Artemis Ephesia, with supports. nearly very fine Cf. Von Aulock, Pisidien II 1621-3.

Ex Savoca London

Faustina II

 

(147-175 AD) . AE

PAMPHYLIA Aspendus

Weight: 4,48 gr
Diameter: 19,00 mm            Obv: Bust of Faustina II         Rev: Rv. AC, Two cult statues of Artemis and Aphrodite standing facing. Condition: Very Fine.Ex: Ares

Cool coins, @Ryro! I like those cult statue of Ephesian Artemis reverse types. I, too, was disappointed to learn that the rounded objects on the statue's torso weren't breasts. It renders "multimammiferous" useless in this double dactyl about the temple. Here's what the mysterious poet with the pseudonym of Senex Caecilius has to say about it!

The Artemision

Higgledy-Piggledy
Temple of Artemis,
Wonder of Wonders, in
Ephesus stood;
Housed in the shrine was a
Multimammiferous
Symbol of fruitfulness
Carved out of wood.

11 hours ago, Marsyas Mike said:

Nice coins, RC.  Back on your original Beckmann Type 3 write-up, I posted a die-link to one of your other examples.  As it is still my only Type 3 hair-do, I'll rerun it again (as Yogi Berra might've said): 

 

Well, it's an old thread, and it is not Friday, but it is Faustina - and what I think is my first Beckmann Type 3 hairstyle. Even more exciting, I am pretty sure it is an obverse die match to the @Roman Collector OP sestertius. Yipee! 


Faustina II Æ Sestertius
(mid 151-early 152 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[FAVST]INA AVG ANTONINI AV[G PII FIL], bare-headed and draped bust right / [VENVS] S C, Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter.
RIC III Antoninus Pius 1387b; BMCRE 2168; Cohen 250.
(27.06 grams / 31 x 30 mm)
eBay Mar. 2022
Notes:
Beckmann type 3 hairstyle.
Obverse Die Match:
Specimen posted on Coin Talk by Roman Collector, Oct. 14, 2021

Here's mine with RC's on the right:

 

Marsyas Mike, Mar 20, 2022Report

#25+ QuoteReply

 

I'm glad you posted that, @Marsyas Mike! It's an excellent illustration of the elusive Beckmann type 3 hairstyle!

10 hours ago, Spaniard said:

@Roman Collector...Nice coins!

I do enjoy your write ups they are very informative and I always come away having learnt something new, Thanks!

Here's my only FII 😱......And you've seen it before, 

Faustina II Junior Silver Denarius 3.36g.,17mm, Rome mint, A.D. 154-156,

Obverse. FAVSTINA AVG-PIIAVGFIL Draped bust of Faustina right,

Reverse. CONC-O-RDIA, Concordia seated left, holding flower & resting left arm on cornucopiae set on globe below seat.

(RCV 4704; RIC 502a)

Thank you for the kind words, @Spaniard! And that's a lovely denarius! I never tire of seeing that one.

9 hours ago, curtislclay said:

Your new sestertius: I have two coins from that same obv. die and with the same Concordia seated rev. type.

One has S - C in field like yours, but is not from the same rev. die. Acquired from London Ancient Coins Sale 12, 7 June 2012, lot 240.

Second has S - C in exergue, a variety not recorded by Strack. Unfortunately  I forgot to record the source on my coin ticket.

It's good to hear from you, @curtislclay! Thank you for contributing to my inventory of known specimens. So far, that's three known with the Type 3 hairstyle, all sharing the same obverse die.

8 hours ago, LONGINUS said:

Awesome coins and post, @Roman Collector

You have enlightened and heightened my awareness of all things Faustina. ⭐⭐⭐

 

I posted this one last week but every time I look at it I see something new. 

I love the graphic of that diner, @LONGINUS! Fantastic! I love that denarius, too! It's a beauty!

8 hours ago, ominus1 said:

..by jove!...a match Mike! 🙂

Ain't that cool, @ominus1?