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RIC III Antoninus Pius 1081

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Issuing entity

Roman Empire

RIC III Antoninus Pius 1081. Denomination: Sestertius. Authority: Antoninus Pius. Mint: Rome. The obverse shows bust of Faustina the Elder, draped, right, hair elaborately waved and coiled in bands across head and drawn up at back and piled in a round coil on top., with the legend FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P.

The reverse shows venus, draped, standing right, with right hand gathering up drapery from right shoulder and holding apple in left hand., with the legend VENERI AVGVSTAE S C.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
5
Catalogue references
1

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

This bronze sestertius was issued under the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, who ruled the Roman Empire from AD 138 to 161. A member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, Antoninus had married Hadrian's niece Faustina before being adopted as Hadrian's successor. Following his accession to the throne, he acquired the cognomen Pius and governed the empire from Rome, where this piece was struck.

In the Roman Empire, the sestertius functioned as a large coin useful for commerce, originally valued at one quarter of a denarius. This issue commemorates Faustina the Elder, identified on the obverse by the legend "FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P". The reverse depicts the goddess Venus holding an apple and gathering her drapery, paired with the legend "VENERI AVGVSTAE S C".

Physical characteristics

Material
Bronze
Denomination
Sestertius

Technical characteristics

Mint
Rome
Authority
Antoninus Pius

Design

Obverse
Bust of Faustina the Elder, draped, right, hair elaborately waved and coiled in bands across head and drawn up at back and piled in a round coil on top.
Reverse
Venus, draped, standing right, with right hand gathering up drapery from right shoulder and holding apple in left hand.
Obverse legend
FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P
Reverse legend
VENERI AVGVSTAE S C

Identification

Type reference
RIC III Antoninus Pius 1081
Denomination and metal
Sestertius, Bronze
Obverse legend to match
FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P
Reverse legend to match
VENERI AVGVSTAE S C
Source note
Type description from the American Numismatic Society's Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE); individual specimens differ in die, flan size, weight and wear, and legend breaks may vary.

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Recorded
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

Research required

  • Editorial verification required.
  • Weight, diameter and mint marks require specimen-level evidence.
  • Museum specimen photographs are linked by the source; local photographs and reuse rights remain unverified.
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