LIBERALITAS AVGVSTORVM


Reference : AYC #25 (1) RIC 14
Weight: 20.40 grs
Metal: Bronze
Diameter: 30.00 mm
Scarcity: Very rare
Type:

Obverse

Reverse

IMP CAES M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG

Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Pupienus right, seen from three quarters back. 

LIBERALI - TAS AVGVSTORVM / S – C

Liberalitas standing left, holding an abacus with the right hand and a cornucopia with the left hand.

Photo of a coin sold the 05/10/2014 by Numismatik Naumann, Auction 23, lot 891, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2148443, link to their website: https://www.numismatik-naumann.at/.

I observe that on most of Pupienus' coins the cuirass is almost invisible and the shoulder appears smooth. Although I have listed a variant with a non-cuirassed bust for other emperors from the same period, this bust of Pupienus seems to be cuirassed. We see streaks indicating a cuirass in the lower shoulder or at least an irregular lower shoulder showing a desire to display a cuirass. Here is an example:

 On this photo the streaks are visible at the bottom of the shoulder. 

However, we cannot exclude that only draped busts exist. So far, I haven't noticed an example where the shoulder is undoubtedly smooth.