CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY
- Emperor:
- Faustina I the Elder, struck under Antoninus Pius
- Denomination:
- AE As. Inferred from the weight: refer weights table on p. XV of BMCRE IV
- Composition:
- Copper alloy
- Date:
- circa 141-146 AD. See note below on dating.
- Obverse:
- DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, Bust of Faustina I, draped and veiled, right, hair elaborately waved and coiled, with bands across the head, drawn up at the back and piled in a round coil on top of head: a band of pearls round hair in front
- Reverse:
- PIET AVG, Rectangular altar, with door in front; S C in exergue
- Reference:
- RIC III [Pius] 1191Ab; BMCRE IV [Pius] 1464 var. (bust type, obverse legend spacing); Cohen II 259 (bust type)
- Size:
- 27.50mm, 10.5g, 6h
- Province:
- Rome mint
- Grade:
- aVF, narrow flan, toned, pitting
- Provenance:
- From the Steve P Collection, ex Dionysus Coins (eBay, November 2017); from the Ex David Wray Collection, ex CNG eAuction 389 (18 January 2017), Lot 671; ex Colosseum Coin Exchange
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. For many years after her passing, Antoninus Pius continued to honour her memory through the issuing of coinage in her image. This Ae As was part of a second such issue of coinage and dates to a period beginning in 141 AD and immediately afterwards. A more precise dating is unknown. As the obverse legend still contains AVGVSTA it is likely that this coin was struck prior to the title of Augusta being passed onto her daughter, Faustina II, the Younger in 147 AD. The reverse type for this coin depicts an altar, from the Temple of Faustina. On some coins, the altar is lighted.
I, Peter A. Piliouras of Ancient Coin Traders irrevocably guarantee for life to the Purchaser that this ancient coin is authentic. If this coin is deemed not to be authentic by a professional certification service, then I will refund to the Purchaser the full cost of acquiring the coin (including shipping) together with the certification fees.
__________________________________________________
Signed: Peter Anthony Piliouras
__________________________________________________
Date