$135.00

Faustina I the Elder, 138-141 AD, AR Denarius, Hexastyle Temple, Posthumous Issue, struck 141-161 AD
Ruler/Emperor:
Faustina I the Elder, struck under Antoninus Pius
City/Region:
Rome
Denomination:
AR Denarius
Composition:
Silver
Date:
141-161 AD
Obverse:
DIVA FAVSTINA, Bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved and coiled, with bands across the head, drawn up at the back and piled in a round coil on top
Reverse:
AED DIV FAVSTINAE, Front view of the Temple of the Divine Faustina in the Roman forum, showing six columns: in front, fencing: in centre, cult statue of Faustina seated: above, pediment is ornamented: on centre, facing quadriga, on corners, winged Victories: below, left and right, in front of temple, statues standing right and left, on pedestals, raising left and right hand respectively
Size:
17.62mm, 3.2g, 12h
Grade:
aVF, toned
Provenance:
Ex Classical Numismatic Group eAuction 410 (29 November 2017), Lot 295
References:
BMCRE IV [Pius] 339; RIC III 343, Cohen II 1; RSC II 1; SRCV II 4573

List of references used by Ancient Coin Traders


The Temple of Faustina depicted on the reverse still exists today in the Roman Forum! The figure depicted in the middle of the temple is particularly clear on this coin.

Faustina I the elder was born circa 100 AD and died in 140 AD. She was the wife of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, one of the Five Good Emperors. This denarius was part of a third issue of coinage in her honour after her death and is likely to have been minted some time between the end of the second issue (141 AD) and the end of Antonius Pius's reign as Roman Emperor, most likely toward the end of that reign. A more precise dating is not currently known. The coinage bears the legend DIVA FAVSTINA, not DIVA AVGVSTA, as the title of Augusta had passed onto her daughter, Faustina II the Younger. The Temple of Faustina was dedicated to Faustina in 144 AD. It still stands today in the Roman Forum.
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