My Latest Pickup: Emperor Zeno

Thanks Bobby. Yeah, they are an overlooked bunch, 5th century Romans. I collect any Roman that catch my interest, but these tiny late Romans are some of my favorites to collect.

Thanks stevex6!

Oops, guess I should have included the size in the original post! It's actually 9mm wide. AE4 is just a term to describe any Roman coin under 17 mm.

Well, that explains the details. I can only guess the later Roman Empire lost the art of engraving tiny coin dies--or it was simply not worth the effort. The peak of the art may have been Greece, such as this 9mm obol from Kyzikos c. 400 BC:

I'm only suggesting there is a visual progression of die work seen on Roman Republican coins to Empire coins, followed by the later Byzantine era. Die work on AV solidi is better, but does not approach work on aureii of the Twelve Caesars or especially earlier Greek gold staters. A similar craft to die engraving are the signet rings of the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine eras, where you see a corresponding level of quality to the celator's work of each period. Many artistic skills are simply lost over time due to disuse, style, or the necessities of mass production. The high art of engraving was lost for centuries, only revived in the Renaissance era.

I like ancient signets and I would collect them if I could afford them--they are way out of my budget.
Here is a Greco-Roman signet stone from c. 100 BC.

VK, I'm not sure either--it could be devaluation or due to seignorage--as a way to fund the empire.

That's a super-cool Greek coin, DVC (is that yours?)

No worries, it's all good Not often one of my threads gives way to further discussion like this

That's ok oxos Gives me an idea for a new thread actually