Collecting Roman Coins
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by Vincent McCarthy Part I, The Republic & Early Empire Early Roman Coinage. The Republican denarius has been well The indigenous peoples of the Italian penin- researched and there are plenty of text sular had always used copper as a means of books to help collectors. Being of a regular trade and exchange. As early as the fourth size they can build into a neat and tidy col- century BC currency bars and cast lumps of lection and are plentiful and not too expen- the metal were in use and these had to be sive. £50 to £100 will buy most of the com- weighed out at every transaction. As one mon types in a decent state of preservation. might imagine this was not the height of Copper coins were also issued in Rome. The convenience especially when change had to as and its fractions; the semis, sextans and be given, meaning that pieces of metal had quadrans. These bear the head of a god such to be cut off . as Janus, Saturn or Mars with the prow of a In the third century BC the so called ‘aes war galley on the reverse side. Prices for grave’ currency came into use and the unit copper run from £30 up to about £100. of weight was the libra or pound (hence our The Republic ended in bloody strife, much use of ‘lb’). These were fairly hefty lumps of which is reflected in the coinage. For a of copper cast in round shapes of various time Julius Caesar was successful and even sizes and carried marks denoting their value. issued coins bearing his portrait just prior to Later in the third century the Greek colonies his assassination. There is even a rare in southern Italy had fallen under Roman denarius of Brutus depicting two daggers influence and ceased to strike their own and proclaiming ‘the ides of March’. coinage. To facilitate trade the Romans Pompey, Mark Antony, Octavian and other struck silver coins based on the Greek styles historical figures also have coin portraits and probably made by Greek craftsmen, but and these are eagerly sought by collectors. with the name ‘Roma’ on them. The Second Prices depend on condition as always but Punic War (218-202 BC) caused an eco- expect to pay around £200 to £300. nomic crisis which saw the devaluation of the currency and the introduction of the Being proud of tradition and family history denarius, a silver coin about the size of an they used scenes from the lives of their old sixpence. The design was a helmeted ancestors, celebrating their achievements in head of Roma with the reverse depicting the service of the public. We see reverse Castor and Pollux on horseback. types of scenes from Roman life such as The silver denarius became the main unit of voting or speakers on platforms addressing currency and in time the various mint offi- the crowds. The heads of ancestors were cials or moneyers began to imprint their sometimes used on the coins in the style of own names on the coins. later Imperial portraits. 1. Republican denarii, heads of 5. 1stC BC coins with striking 9. A scarce denarius of Brutus, 13. Silver denarii of Calpurnius Roma and Saturn. c100BC. heads of Vejovis and Apollo. the head of Liberty. 54BC. Piso and Quintus Thermos. c1stC BC. 2. Reverses: common quadriga 6. Reverses with Jupiter seated 10. The reverse showing a pro- and biga types. £60 and £75. on a goat, and in quadriga. £65. cession of city officials. c£125. 14. Reverses depicting a horse- man and soldiers. £75 each. 3. Republican denarii, heads of 7. More heads of deities, Apollo Ceres and Apollo. c1stC BC. and Jupiter. 1stC BC. 11. Silver denarius of Cassius Longinus, 63BC showing a 15. Denarius of Julius Caesar, veiled head of Vesta. an elephant and a serpent, 49BC. 4. Reverses of above, a farmer 8. Reverses of Marsyas holding ploughing and Victory crowning a wine skin and Juno with spear 16. Reverse showing priestly Roma. £65 each and shield. £70. 12. Reverse: voting. £95. implements. c£125. ANTIQUES INFO - January/February 06 The Early Empire AD 69: The Year of the Four Emperors. The young Octavian was the eventual victor Apart from the Emperors we also have por- After the demise of Nero a number of rivals in the Civil War (32BC) and became the first trait coins of wives and children including vied for control of Rome. Galba, Vitellius Emperor of Rome to take the name Augustus’ wife Livia. Agrippina, Drusus, and Otho tried to buy or fight their way to Augustus. He set about a reform of the Germanicus and Agrippa feature amongst the throne until Vespasian was able to cool a coinage with coins in gold, silver and bronze the many historical personages. Many of potentially dangerous situation. With short that was to survive for more than two cen- these were struck in tribute and on deifica- reigns of only a few months, the coins of turies. His long reign of forty four years tion after their deaths and often have an altar these three rulers are more difficult to find rebuilt Rome and set up the government as reverse type. The best of these are larger and for a silver denarius expect to pay needed to run a growing Empire. bronze or brass coins such as the sestertius around £150 to £400. The silver coinage was very extensive and and most are scarce. All are keenly sought Vespasian was followed by his sons, Titus collectors will find it hugely interesting. after by today’s collectors so you can expect and Domitian. Collectors should be able to There is such a wide diversity of subjects to pay £100 and more for a VF specimen. find plenty of examples of these in silver with reverse types commemorating every- The large brass sestertius, a coin of around from £40 to £90 and in bronze for a little thing from his birth sign, Capricorn, to mil- 35mm diameter, allows scope for some very more. Once again the large brass sestertius itary victories, new buildings and even por- fine engraving by the Roman artists. was used almost as a commemorative item traits of family and colleagues. Denarii of Nero had an artistic leaning and some of the recalling events such as the capture of Augustus are available from around £100 to finest large brass coins were struck during Jerusalem (70AD) and the opening of the £500 in about VF (Very Fine) condition. his reign. His characteristic bull-necked por- Colosseum in Rome (82AD). After Augustus the Emperors followed a trait is in itself a powerful work of art and We must remember that coinage was distrib- family line that included such famous and the reverse designs are always full of inter- uted far and wide providing an excellent infamous characters as Tiberius, Caligula, est. We see a fine triumphal arch: the medium for propaganda. Many good works Claudius and Nero. This early half of the Temple of Janus, the meat market, the and military victories were often boasted first century is full of excitement and Emperor on horseback and even a bird’s eye about on the reverse of the coins. Sometimes intrigue and the coinage then minted is fas- view of the harbour at Ostia complete with however, the message was simply one of cinating. A few of the better known pieces shipping in its detail. These coins are often peace and prosperity and included images of include the so called Tribute Penny of medallic and impressive so can be expen- Pax or Ceres depicted with cornucopiae (the Tiberius and the coin of Claudius commem- sive: expect to pay in excess of £500 for the Horn of Plenty: a symbol of prosperity) and orating his British victory. best examples. sheaves of corn. In the next edition of Antiques Info: don’t miss ‘Roman Coins Part II: The Golden Age of Rome’. 32. Reverse of above depicting 17. A worn denarius of Mark 22. Reverse showing Tiberius’ 27. A rare bronze coin of Nero. Spes. £50. Antony, war galley. 1stC BC. mother, Livia, seated. £150. 28. The macellum (meat market) 18. Reverse showing eagle and 33. A brass sestertius, Vespasian. 23. Caligula on a bronze as. in Rome. This one is damaged; standards for Fifth Legion. £50. a fine piece costs around £500. 24. A seated figure of a deified 34. Reverse depicting Roma 19. A noble portrait of Augustus holding a Victory figure. £75. Livia. £125. 29. The strong head of on a silver coin. Vespasian on a brass dupondius. 25. An as with portrait of 35. Vespasian and Domitian, 20. Reverse depicting a butting Claudius. 30. Figure of Concordia. £60. father and son, on silver denarii. bull. £200. 26. Minerva with spear and 36. Reverses showing a winged 21. A stern portrait of Tiberius. 31. His son Domitian on a love- shield. £95. caduceus and Minerva. £75. The Biblical ‘tribute penny’. ly patinated bronze coin. ANTIQUES INFO - January/February 06 .