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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Denominations| ▸ |Tesserae||View Options:  |  |  | 

Tesserae and Lead Coins

Tesserae (singular: tessera) are ancient tokens. Most were made from lead, but other materials including bronze, bone, ivory, clay, glass and wood were also used. They were used as tickets for theaters, gladiator fights, ferry passage and even brothels. Tesserae liberalitatis were distributed as gifts by the Roman emperor or local government, often to the poor, and used as vouchers to exchange for grain, oil, or other goods. Some ancient lead "tokens" may have been used as small change coinage.

Judean Kingdom, Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan), 104 - 76 B.C.

|Alexander| |Jannaeus|, |Judean| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |Jannaeus| |(Yehonatan),| |104| |-| |76| |B.C.||tessera|
Lead tesserae (tokens) were issued by the monarch to the poor to be redeemed for food and other commodities. Meshorer reports the lead tesserae of Alexander Jannaeus are found almost exclusively in Transjordan
JD110536. Lead tessera, Hendin 6192 (S), Meshorer TJC M, Meshorer AJC D, HGC 10 645, aF, heavy example, weight 5.154 g, maximum diameter 18.0 mm, Transjordan mint, 95 - 76 B.C.; obverse Aramaic inscription: King Alexander Year 25, anchor (upside-down as if hanging on the side of a boat) inside circle; reverse traces of Aramaic inscription, King Alexander, with a border of dots; very scarce; $70.00 (€65.80)
 


Roman Egypt, Arsinoiton polis (Arsinoite Nome), Upper Egypt, 1st - 3rd Century A.D.

|Tesserae|, |Roman| |Egypt,| |Arsinoiton| |polis| |(Arsinoite| |Nome),| |Upper| |Egypt,| |1st| |-| |3rd| |Century| |A.D.||tessera|
The Ptolemies renamed Atef-Pehu (the Krocodilopolitan nome) to Arsinoe and the capital city Krokodopolis (the City of Crocodiles) to Ptolemais Euergetis. In Roman times the nome was the Arsinoiton polis and Krokodopolis was called Arsinoe.
RX41298. Lead tessera, Geissen 3495; Dattari 6423; Emmett 4366; Milne -, Fair, weight 4.894 g, maximum diameter 23.9 mm, Arsinoe (Krokodopolis) mint, 1st - 3rd century A.D.; obverse bust of Pharaoh right wearing wig, beard and uraeus (cobra) crown, reed before; reverse APCINOEITWN Φ ΠOΛEWC (retrograde), crocodile right on a pedestal, solar disk above, all within laurel wreath tied at the bottom, legend around within dot border; extremely rare; SOLD


Greek, Lead Tessera or Weight (1.309g), c. 500 - 300 B.C.(?)

|Tesserae|, |Greek,| |Lead| |Tessera| |or| |Weight| |(1.309g),| |c.| |500| |-| |300| |B.C.(?)||tessera|
This lead piece is a mystery. It may be a tessera or it may be a coin weight. Where and when it was made are uncertain. Facing head of Silenos types are most commonly found on coins from Sicily, Macedonia, Lesbos, and Mysia. The scallop shell is a common type for Italy and Sicily, but was used as a control symbol across the Greek world. If it is a weight, the weight is appropriate for an electrum hemihekte, a type which was struck at Kyzikos with a facing head of Silenos.
GB90212. Lead tessera, cf. Scholz Tesserae 597 - 598 (Silenos obverse, blank reverse); roughly rectangular shape, 13.3 x 8.6 mm, 1.309 g, VF, a very attractive and unusual tiny artifact, c. 500 - 300 B.C.(?); obverse head of Silenos facing; reverse incuse scallop shell; ex CNG auction 324, part of lot 670; SOLD


Roman, Lead Votive or Tessera, c. 30 B.C. - 285 A.D.

|Tesserae|, |Roman,| |Lead| |Votive| |or| |Tessera,| |c.| |30| |B.C.| |-| |285| |A.D.||tessera|
The Greeks and Romans used the name "Ethiopian" for all Africans living south of the Sahara. We are uncertain of the specific origin, date, and purpose or use for this piece. It is an attractive and interesting mystery.
AR98632. Lead tessera, VF, cast, very high sculptural relief, typical lead patina, irregular shape, old cuts and marks, weight 15.634 g, maximum diameter 32.0 mm, die axis 0o, obverse facing head of a bald Ethiopian; reverse flat (probably cast in an open mold); SOLD


Roman Egypt, Antinoopolites Nome?, Portrait of Antinous, c. 130 - 153 A.D.?

|Roman| |Tesserae|, |Roman| |Egypt,| |Antinoopolites| |Nome?,| |Portrait| |of| |Antinous,| |c.| |130| |-| |153| |A.D.?||tessera|
On 30 October 130 A.D., Hadrian founded the city of Antinoopolis on the very bank of the Nile river where Antinous drowned. It was the capital of a new nome, Antinoopolites.
RX41306. Lead tessera, Dattari 6536, Geissen 3559 var. (11.23g), Emmett 4397 (R4), F, weight 3.809 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 75o, obverse draped bust of Antinous right, wearing hem-hem crown of Harpocrates, crescent before; reverse Serapis standing left, kalathos on head, right hand raised, long scepter in left; rare; SOLD


Roman Egypt, Antinoopolites Nome, Portrait of Antinous, c. 130 - 153 A.D.

|Roman| |Tesserae|, |Roman| |Egypt,| |Antinoopolites| |Nome,| |Portrait| |of| |Antinous,| |c.| |130| |-| |153| |A.D.||tessera|
On 30 October 130 A.D., Hadrian founded the city of Antinoopolis on the very bank of the Nile river where Antinous drowned. It was the capital of a new nome, Antinoopolites. Perhaps the date is from the founding of Antinoopolis.
RX39457. Lead tessera, Geissen 3567; Emmett 4291.2 (R4?); Dattari-Savio -; Milne -, F, weight 5.205 g, maximum diameter 23.0 mm, die axis 0o, Antinoopolis mint, c. 130 - 153 A.D.; obverse draped bust of Antinous (as Hermes) right, wearing hem-hem crown of Harpocrates, crescent before, ΘW upward behind; reverse Nike advancing left, wearing chiton, raising wreath extended in right, palm frond over shoulder in left hand, L - B (year 2 of uncertain era) across field; rare; SOLD







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REFERENCES

Burnett, A., M. Amandry & P. Ripollès. Roman Provincial Coinage I: From the death of Caesar to the death of Vitellius (44 BC-AD 69). (London, 1992, and supplement).
Buttrey, T. "The Spintriae as a Historical Source" in NC 1973.
de Boccard, E. Les tesseres et les Monnaies de Palmyre. (Paris, 1962).
Cohen, H. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire Romain, Vol. 8: Nepotian to Romulus Augustus, plus tesserae & cotorniates. (Paris, 1888).
Dattari, G. Numi Augg. Alexandrini. (Cairo, 1901).
Emmett, K. Alexandrian Coins. (Lodi, WI, 2001).
Farhi, H. "Note on Two Types of Byzantine Lead Currency" in INR 8 (2013).
Geissen, A. Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln|, Band 4: Claudius Gothicus - Bleimünzen. (Cologne, 1974-1983), pp. 178 - 213.
Hamburger, H. "Minute coins from Caesarea" in ATIQOT - Journal of The Israel Dept. of Antiquities, Volume I. (Jerusalem, 1955) pp. 115-138.
Hamburger, A. "Surface Finds from Caesarea Maritima - Tesserae" in Qedem 21 (Jerusalem, 1986), pp. 187 - 204.
Hendin, D. Guide to Biblical Coins. (Amphora, 2010).
Hoover, O. "A Reassessment of Nabataean Lead Coinage in Light of New Discoveries" in NC 2006.
Milne, J. A Catalogue of the Alexandrian Coins in the Ashmolean Museum. (Oxford, 1933), pp. 125 - 130.
Milne, J. "The leaden token-coinage of Egypt under the Romans" in NC 1908, pp. 287-310, pl. XXII.
Rostowtzew, M. Tesserarum Urbis Romae et Suburbi Plumbearum Sylloge. (St. Petersburg, 1903).
Rostowtzew, M. Tesserarum Urbis Romae et Suburbi Plumbearum Sylloge, Supplementum I. (St. Petersburg, 1905).
Scholz, J. "Römische Blei Tesserae" in Numismatische Zeitschrift bd. 25 (1893).

Catalog current as of Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
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