Roman Collector's Top 10 for 2024

[Roman Collector]

I had a very productive year in terms of my Faustina I and II collection. This is because @curtislclay sold dozens of rare coins through Harlan Berk's B/B sales. I think @shanxi and I bought up every rare coin of Faustina II Curtis had! My approach to collecting is that I value rarity and educational value far more than I value grade. If a coin adds to the body of knowledge about the coinage issued for these Antonine empresses, I appreciate it, despite scratches and wear. So, this list contains some damaged and worn-out coins, but I love them. 

It was hard to winnow this list down to 10, but that's where the rubber meets the road. My favorite coin tends to be whatever I have acquired most recently, but that's not fair to the ones purchased early in the year. The choosing process forces me to reevaluate all my acquisitions each year and I often fall in love again with coins that had receded to the back of my mind. But enough about the process of choosing! Let's get on with it! I'm not going to make you vote on these! Just tell me which ones you found interesting. 

10. Faustina II PVDICITIA denarius with an obverse inscription used for a few shifts at the mint in December 155 before it was changed in January 156. As such, it's quite rare. Read about it here.

9. Faustina II under Antoninus Pius with a PVDICITIA inscription but a reverse deity used also on a CONCORDIA type. Temeryazev & Makarenko proposed that this was a die-engraver's error, but I did a die-study of the known specimens and identified five different reverse dies, indicating the use of the PVDICITIA inscription with this design was purposeful, not an error. 

8. Faustina II MATRI MAGNAE denarius with a mirror-image reverse design typically used for aurei. @shanxi has a specimen of this coin and for a few years, it was unclear whether his coin was a denarius accidentally struck with an aureus reverse die, a forgery (ancient or modern), or simply an official issue with a variant reverse die. But it turned out that Curtis Clay had a specimen in his collection, which I purchased, and it was struck with a different obverse die from Shanxi's, demonstrating the coin to have been an official denarius, but struck with a variant reverse die. Read more here.

7. A PAIR of coins for this one, because they must be interpreted together to understand their significance. The existence of these two coins struck with the same reverse die proves that on the bronze issues -- like the gold and silver -- the nominative case FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL obverse legend was used following the dative case FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL obverse legend for a short time before changing to FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL for a short time and then reverting back to FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL for a few years. Read here for a complete chronological arrangement of Faustina's obverse titulature.

6. A dream coin, this rare sestertius of Faustina the Younger that commemorates the birth of Lucilla. You may read more about the PVDICITIA issues here. I am aware of six specimens altogether between museum specimens and those sold at auction, of which four are illustrated online. All four specimens (including mine) were struck from the same reverse die. Mine is the lowest grade of the three specimens in private hands, but beggars can't be choosers.

5. The obverse die used to strike this coin was thought to have only been used with a different Venus reverse type, the Venus standing right, adjusting drapery and holding apple type. This coin, however, shows the die was also used for the Venus with apple and dolphin-entwined rudder type, demonstrating contemporaneous production of the two VENVS reverse designs. This coin is not listed in RIC, BMCRE, Cohen, Strack or Sear with a left-facing bust type. After a comprehensive review of online databases, it appears to be unique. Read about the die in this thread here. This coin is in the last post on the thread, updating it with the new information. 

4. This is the only known specimen of this type in the medium bronze denomination. It is unlisted in the usual English language references, but the type is cited by Szaivert in MIR from Münzhandlung Basel, Auction 1, 28 June 1934, pl. 33, 1379.
 

It turns out that this very specimen had been in Curtis Clay's collection since it was sold by CNG in 2005! And now it's mine!

3. Forum member @lrbguy had long known that my collection was missing a coin that he had in his collection, a denarius from the first issue for Faustina the Elder after Antoninus Pius assumed the purple. For this reason, he was kind enough to offer it to me in a private sale before he consigned his collection to Leu. For this I am very grateful! You may read more about this coin in this installment of Faustina Friday about her first issue.

2. This one just arrived in the mail yesterday and will be the subject of next week's Faustina Friday. It is extremely rare in the medium bronze denomination and has quite a provenance! 

1. My number one favorite of the year isn't going to win a beauty prize, but it is extremely rare and has a great deal of historical significance. It was struck when Faustina the Elder was on her deathbed as a prayer for her recovery from whatever illness ended up taking her life. You may read about this fascinating issue here.

 

Edited December 14, 2024 by Roman Collector
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[ambr0zie]

Great coins! I especially like the Faustina coin!!!!

 

On a serious note, congratulations for assembling this great collection and documenting it. 
6 is the best for me - but what happens on the obverse? a ... countermark or something? 

[shanxi]

Beautiful coins, of course. My favourite is Faustina I on the eagle. A little piece of art.

[Roman Collector]

20 minutes ago, ambr0zie said:

Great coins! I especially like the Faustina coin!!!!

 

On a serious note, congratulations for assembling this great collection and documenting it. 
6 is the best for me - but what happens on the obverse? a ... countermark or something? 

Sadly, it's a ginormous scrape. I think it's from the plow or shovel that unearthed it. 

[Ryro]

What a spread! Would you say this was your most fruitful year for rarities?

Ps, #2 is my favorite. That reverse is beautiful!

Edited December 14, 2024 by Ryro

[seth77]

That Faustina lifetime denarius is my favorite.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I voted for #2. It's the peacock for me!

It was a very fruitful and Faustina-ey year!

[DonnaML]

# 6, commemorating the birth of Lucilla, is definitely my favorite, even without taking its rarity into account.

[JayAg47]

Nice Faustinae, you're top 1 is certainly interesting. 

[panzerman]

I pick 10/ 6 and 4

Amazing the second very focused top ten! Faustina is a popular Lady!

Congratulations!

As for me I only have one of her....🤐

John

[Sulla80]

Great year of Faustina rarities, @Roman Collector, Congratulations!  10, 4, and 2 are my favorites, your write-ups always make the coins more interesting and desirable!  Best wishes for 2025.

[singig]

I love the there coins with PVDICITIA/CONCORDIA holding out drapery from #9 and #7, but the most interesting for me is #2. Congratulations !

[robinjojo]

I've always enjoyed your informative threads for Faustina I and Faustina II, and I am in awe of the depth of knowledge in each posting.  I love #7 for the linking of the dative case for the bronze and silver coinage of Faustina II.  I just wish that I had the discipline to concentrate on these two empresses as you have over the years.  The historical context for #1 is also very interesting.  #2, the middle bronze is also nice, and I really like the reverse.

[happy_collector]

You have a number of nice additions, @Roman Collector. Thanks for sharing. Your coins #3 and #6 are my favorites.  

[Qcumbor]

All are interesting one way or another, but I'm partial to Faustina II young portraits, which are aesthetically very appealing, so #9 and #7 for me, please 🙂 

Q