Vandalism Of Coin Style

Today we use the word vandal to refers to someone who destroys property or anything good and beautiful. The word comes from the barbarian tribe that may not have invented the process but certainly were good at it as they brought low the beauty of the Western Roman Empire in the mid 5th century AD. The highlight was their sack of Rome in 455.

Under their great king Gaiseric, Vandals issued coins imitating Roman issues. They can be spotted by the ragged legends and 'barbarous' style. My silver siliqua below copies Honorius from Ravenna (mintmark RVPS) with the Urbs Roma reverse (legend entirely missing). Note, especially, the lack of alignment between the O and R in Honorius on the obverse. The style is poor; the workmanship is poor; the coin rather well demonstrates what can happen when numismatics gets vandalized.