Cr. 205/5 "P SVLA"(Publius Cornelius Sulla?) series Æ quadrans, 151 B.C., Rome mint

Roman Republic Æ quadrans(7.29g, 21mm). "P SVLA" series(Publius Cornelius Sulla, moneyer), 151 B.C. Rome mint. Head of young Hercules right, wearing lion's skin headdress, ••• behind / P SVLA, prow of galley right with female head(Venus?) decorating prowstem, ••• below. ROMA below. Crawford 205/5; Sydenham 387c; Cornelia 5
Purchased from ManorCollections, eBay, 4/22/2018, ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection, Naville Numismatics Live Auction 38, 3/11/2018, lot 610(part of)
This quadrans comes from the P SVLA series, thought to have been struck by a Publius Cornelius Sulla, likely an uncle of the dictator whom most associate with the name "Sulla". Interestingly, this bronze is decorated with a small female head on the prow-stem. This decoration is on every one of this moneyer's bronze denominations(except possibly the unique sextans), but often disappears due to wear, corrosion or bad striking so is not always visible.
As far as the identity of the female head on the reverse, the moneyer unfortunately didn't give many hints but based on the affinity shown for Venus in the later coinage of the Cornelii Sullae and in particular of the dictator's coinage, Crawford suggests that this should also be interpreted as Venus. I tend to agree and have seen no convincing arguments to the contrary.
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