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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,902 |
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New Member
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
this coin has been in the family since I was a child and even attended a school "show & tell" .....but I have always wondered how old it actually is, what its made of and how much its worth! lol... I've done some trawling and he closest image I found was of a Gold Nero Aureus....I took a picture of both sides of the coin I have and found a picture through Google for comparison..  *** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. *** |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
It's a Roman Imperial bronze, possibly a sestertius. Hard to tell from the photo, but it may be an issue of Antoninus Pius. Please post it to the ancients board, where there are many Roman experts who can i.d. it for you. Provide the size too. And, if possible, see if you can take better pics, particularly of the obverse (portrait side).
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New Member
 United Kingdom
2 Posts |
This is the best I can do in regards to the photos...I don't think the coin is bronze though...it looks more like a gold coin and is very weighty...the coin is approx 27mm across and 3.5mm thickness...   Thank you so much for your help....some more searching on Google...I reckon my coin could be this one:  Thank you all for your advice on this coin...I guess I won't be getting a new turbo for my car afterall! lol Yep..never doubted you guys...absolutely spot on...my coin looks a little more golden than this one...but I believe it is indeed an Orichalcum Sestertius....just like the one below...and present on this very web site:  Edited by coombesd
09/17/2015 07:03 am
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
 to the community I agree it's Antoninus Pius. Can you give the size and weight of the coin this will help to say if it's a Sestertius or As. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2889 Posts |
I'm afraid your coin is not gold - it's bronze - a lot of these early bronzes look quite brassy. echizento has it right - it's an As or Sestertius from the rule of Antonious Pius.
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Moderator
Australia
16849 Posts |
Your coin definitely isn't gold, sorry - the Romans didn't make gold coins as large as yours, and gold doesn't turn black like your coin has in places. Your coin is made of what numismatists call "orichalcum", a kind of brass that does look very gold-like (hence its name, which translates to "golden bronze").
At 27mm, I believe your coin is an "as".
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
Reverse appears to be goddess Annona. Important deity who oversaw the Roman grain supply. She would be holding "corn" (usually is depicted as oversize grain stalks) over a 'modius' which was a container used to measure grain rations. The people of the great city were allowed a daily ration provided by and impoted from Egypt and North Africa by the state.
The weight on this coin is key. A dupondius (orichalcum) was half a sestertius and weighed in around 12 grams. But the dupondius usually had the emperor wearing a large radiate crown and this certainly doesn't !
An "as" was half a dupondius but was also much more coppery in color. The as for this period would weigh in around 9-10 grams. Rarely an orichalcum as would be issued at around 7 grams. These were the Susan B Anthony's of Rome. No appears to have wanted them and why they were ever issued remains a mystery.
The weight on this coin of AP is important. From the pic I am thinking a non radiate dupondius.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
At that thickness Id suggest Sestertius. They did start shrinking pretty majorly in this period. The bust is Antoninus Pius nd the words around it are his name and titles. The figure here is the goddess Annona, holding corn over a modius with the right hand and holding a ships rudder with the left. To the right at her feet is the prow of a ship, onto which the rudder extends. Quite a pleasant design - usually figures are shown simply holding the rudder seperated from the ship. Roman coins are actually very numerous so I'm afraid its not worth much, probably not more than £20. Worth more as a curio really. |
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
"It takes all kinds to make a world, Thank goodness I am not one of them."
Edited by Topcat7
09/17/2015 4:29 pm
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,902 |
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Posted 09/16/2015 10:31 am
