CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY
- Emperor:
- Faustina I the Elder, struck under Antoninus Pius
- Denomination:
- Sestertius
- Composition:
- Orichalcum
- Date:
- 141-161 AD (third issue)
- Obverse:
- DIVA FAVSTINA, Bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved and piled in bun on top of head: a band of pearls round hair in front
- Reverse:
- AETER NITAS, Juno, veiled, draped, standing front, head left, raising right hand and holding transverse sceptre in left; S-C left and right, in field.
- Reference:
- BMC IV [Pius] 1480; RIC III [Pius] 1102; Cohen II 28; SRCV II 4605
- Size:
- 31mm, 29.2g, 12h
- Province:
- Rome mint
- Grade:
- Choice gVF, bold portrait, flan unusually thick and heavy, some pitting from corrosion, attractive patina
- Provenance:
- ex Lucernae
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 sestertius 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. Aeternitas was the divine personification of eternity. According to Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Antoninus Pius used Aeternitas to emphasise the 'eternal' nature of the Empire in the person of its good Emperors and Empresses. In this case, it was also likely used to honour the legacy of his late wife.
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.
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Signed: Peter Anthony Piliouras
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Date