A rare and valuable gold Roman coin, dredged from the River Arade in archaeological operations in 1970, has been donated to Portimão Museum to include in its collection.
The decision by the Secretary of State for Culture was published in the government’s official gazette Diário da República on Monday this week.
The coin, minted between the years AD 152 and AD 156, depicts the head of Faustina Junior, the wife of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. She is pictured with her long wavy hair tied back and the bust is encircled by the inscription FAUSTINA AUG P II AUG FIL (Faustina Augusta Pia, daughter of Augustus, the title of the Emperor Antoninus Pius). On the reverse side is the engraving of a dove and the legend CONCORDIA.
It was the only example of its kind found among thousands of coins, ceramic and metal items recovered by archaeologists, testifying to the important commercial trade that existed during that period of Roman presence.
The coin had until now been kept in a safe in the Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
