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Diva Faustina - mysterious fourree denarii


Barzus

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Hello All!

I would like to post here some of my fourree Diva Faustina coins, that I find quite intriguing.

1)  The first piece combines a ''usual'' DIVA AVG FAVSTINA obverse legend and right diademed portrait, with an unknown reverse for Diva Faustina: AVGUSTA legend with representation of Concordia.  I could'nt even find such reverse on Faustina lifetime issues. 2.67g.

2) A group of three pieces, acquired separately from different vendors and at several years interval. They all present a veiled portrait of Diva Faustina, with the legend DIVA AUGVSTA FAVSTINA, which one usually finds only on aureii. The three reverses exist in Diva Faustina coingae, combined with both diademed and veiled portraits - but for the latter, the ''official'' obverse legend reads DIVA AVG FAVSTINA. The style is of excellent quality, and the first two coins share the same obverse die. 

If you have ideas, references or specimens to share, that would be great!

Thanks 🙂

diva faustina fourree augusta.png

3 diva augusta faustina fourree.jpg

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Those are absolutely fascinating, @Barzus, particularly the denarii which appear to have been struck with aureus obverse dies. I have to go to work soon, but over the weekend, I will pull out my copy of Beckmann's Diva Faustina and see if they match any of the known aureus obverse dies. I'm going to tag @curtislclay, who may have some helpful insights into your coins.

You may be interested in this item in my collection, which appears to be an unofficial or imitative issue.

[IMG]
Faustina I, AD 138-140.
Unofficial imitative issue, 3.19 g, 17.6 mm, 6 h.
Ca. AD 140-160?
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: PIETATI AVG, Pietas, veiled and draped, standing left, dropping incense from right hand onto lighted altar and holding box in left hand.
Refs: Cf. BMC p. 67, † note, RSC 234b, CRE 113 and Strack 462 (Budapest), all of which read PIETAS AVG.
 
 
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Very nice @Roman Collector, congrats! I have several other hybrid imitation denarii for Diva Faustina, but rarely of the same fine style - and never with veiled portraits. Still, there are two other fourree denarii of mine that are close to official dies, and that exhibit a « wrong » obverse/reverse combination...

3881F398-EABF-4183-A5A2-03C6373E5833.jpeg

lifetime obverse/ posthumous reverse

171DB9FB-2CCF-4636-9908-6FF561A1C3E9.jpeg

Edited by Barzus
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