Left facing Faustina II bust

[The Apostle]

Prior to winning this coin I did quite a bit of research but could not find any left facing Faustina's with this reverse.  Reading here on FORVM I saw where Curtis stated that left facing busts of Faustina II were rare to very rare so maybe that is why I had such a hard time.  Could someone give me any background on this coin, RIC and any other identification, and also a rarity rating?  Thanks

Obv:  FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL draped bust left
Rev: VENVS SC, Venus standing right holding apple

[curtislclay]

Strack 1304, with bust left in BM, Vienna, Modena, and Feuardent stock. BM 2165, not ill. Lanz, Graz, IV, 1974, Römische Mittelbronzen, lot 370, pl. XVI, same dies as yours. I had one from the same obv. die in my first collection, may now be in Oxford.

It's probable that all bust-left asses of this type come from the same obv. die. Date c. 150 AD. Since this VENVS type occurs only on asses, not on sestertii or (as far as I am aware) on dupondii, I suspect a New Year's issue.

RIC 1410b. Cohen 259 reports from Feuardent a specimen without S C and on thick flan, valued at 40 francs. Probably the same coin that later appeared in the Trau Sale of 1935; I'd have to check whether S C might not just have been tooled away.

[The Apostle]

Thank you Curtis for the information!  I know RIC is outdated when it comes to rarity ratings but if someone could provide me with that information I would be appreciative.

[curtislclay]

RIC's rating "Scarce" is totally without significance!  Cohen's 40 francs overstates the rarity and value, because he was pricing a paticular medallic specimen on thick flan and allegedly without S C on reverse.

[curtislclay]

I think it very likely that the Trau coin, lot 1778 in the sale, has had S C removed from the reverse by tooling. It's from the same obv. die as yours, mine, the Lanz coin, and presumably the other examples too.

The Trau coin is no broader than yours or the other specimens; the weight is not given so we can't tell whether it's particularly thick and so overweight. However, preliminarily I see nothing "medallic" about this specimen: it's just like the others but with the original S C removed by tooling.