Imperial Roman Coin Attribution 101 - The Short Course
Original Article by Carmen J. Scoppa
You
can identify or "attribute" your coin with knowledge of the following
characteristics of it. These six points will help you to pinpoint the
ruler it was issued under, the type of coin, the denomination and
possibly the time and place of its minting.
Physical Characteristics
Obverse Legend Obverse Device
Reverse Legend Reverse Device Mint Mark and/or other markings
Physical Characteristics
Weight: Usually given in grams with an accuracy of at least 1/10
th of a gram, but it is better to have figures to 1/100
th of a gram, this
weight data will
help with your determination of the
denomination of the coin in question.
Diameter: Usually given in millimeters with an accuracy of at least 1mm, but it is better to have figures to 1/10
th of a mm, this dimensional data will
help with your determination of the
denomination of the coin in question.
Die alignment:
Die alignment is expressed in degrees and describes how the
obverse and
reverse dies were aligned to each other when the coin was struck. The best way to look at it is to put a straight edge on the
face
of the coin with the edge at the top (0 degrees) and the bottom (180
degrees) through the center. While holding the straight edge to the
coin turn it over and note where the "top" of the
reverse device is. If it is in the same place as the top of the front device it is called 0-degree alignment. If the top of the
reverse
is at the bottom it is called 180-degree alignment. Another way to
examine
die alignment is to hold the coin on the edge with the
obverse
facing you, your
index finger at the top of the
obverse design (0
degrees) and the thumb at the bottom of the design (180 degrees);
then rotate the coin horizontally maintaining your
index finger and
thumb fixed on the same spot on the rim. The 0-degree alignment is
called Metal Rotation, while the 180-degree alignment is called Coin
Rotation. Now for the "real world"; Roman coinage was made using dies
that were movable, so true 0 or 180 degree rotations were not always
made. You must guess at the rotation, to the nearest 15 degrees, if it
is not at the 0 or 180 degree mark. If you turn the coin over with the
straight edge on it and the top of the
obverse at the top of the rotated
coin you must observe where the "top" of the
reverse device is. If you observe that the top of the
reverse device is pointing towards where the 3 would be on a clock
face this is said to be 90-degree rotation. Or if it is pointing to the spot where the 9 would be on the
face it is said to be 270-degree rotation. Color:
Color could
help to determine the material the coin is made from, this
material data will
help with your determination of the
denomination of
the coin in question. Also by knowing the material you will know in
what section of a reference book to look for your
attribution
references. The most likely materials are Gold (AU), Silver (AR) or
Bronze and/or Copper (AE). There are several alloys of Bronze ranging
from a high content of silver (
alloy called
Billon) to very little
different metals except copper. Most are intermediate types with various
metals alloyed with the copper to make the bronze, all are called AE in
the nomenclature.
Obverse Legend (the wording on the front of the coin)
Spelling
COUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Note length of the
legend, note breaks in the
legend, the whole
legend is a big key in the
attribution. Name of
the issuer - This name is the single BIGGEST KEY to the whole
attribution process. Without this name the whole process is much more
complicated if not made almost impossible in some cases. Titles
or descriptors - These words or
abbreviations attached to the issuer's
name will
help to finalize the
attribution. There are a lot of
abbreviations that could be attached within the
legend, such as IMP,
AVG, COS, P, F, DN, GAL, VAL, A, M etc.
Just one title could change the
whole coin's
attribution. Known legends - There are several places to find lists of legends like: -
Moneta or other software - RIC,
Sear,
Van Meter or other books - Web sites like the
FORVM, WildWinds, Dirty Old Coins, etc. These
known legends are most of the time able to be attached to the various
mints. One
legend may be only used at a single mint. This is important
information when you are looking for the various available places where a
certain coin was made.
Partial legends - There are several
places to find search engines of legend's characters if you can only see
a few of the letters. These are found in places like:
-
romancoin.info - WildWinds -
Moneta or other software
Note:
some letters are very common and will produce a long listing of
possibilities. Examples of those letters are AVG, IMP, DN CAE, and NOB.
While other combination of letters like POTXXXVII are very unique and
return a short list if not a single hit when they are used.
Obverse Device (the picture on the front of the coin)
For an Imperial issue it will most likely be a
head (this is where we get the slang term
Heads
from) or a
bust. There are various types of these figures. Each could
have different types of
head gear, be holding different types of other
gear, be wearing different types of clothing and facing various
directions.
Type - Types are
head only,
bust, two heads or busts
(facing each other), conjunctional heads (one right next to the other
with only the profile of the one behind showing). After a while the
issuers will be recognizable by their profile or other features.
Head
Gear - The various types of
head gear are
bare head, laureate, diadem,
pearl diadem, diadem with rosettes,
radiate, helmet, radiated helmet. Clothing
- There could be none, draperies,
cuirass (breastplate), imperial
robes, armor and various combinations of these. Some issuers have
standard types of clothing or equipment that they use more frequently
than others. Other Gear - The other gear could be spear(s),
arrow(s),
shield,
mappa, globe, plus various other handheld objects.
These items may appear alone or in combinations. Direction - The
direction that the head/bust is facing (right, left, forward etc) is a
main point. Some of the descriptions get very complicated with wording
like as seen from the rear or from the front.
An
important note: the RADIATE will not only help with the description,
but will help with the denomination (most likely it will be double).
Reverse Legend (the wording on the back of the coin)
Again,
spelling COUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One letter can throw off the whole
attribution. Note length of the
legend, note breaks in the
legend, the
whole
legend is a big key in the
attribution. The wording of this
legend will most likely tie into the
Reverse Device. If you are
using a book like
Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC) knowing the issuer and
cross referencing the
reverse legend from its
index to the pages where
the issuer is listed one can cut down the amount of different pages that
need to be looked at. If you are using a book like
Van Meter or
Sear knowing the issuer and then looking for the
reverse legend in
alphabetical order under the proper
denomination works here. Knowing
your reference book and how it is set up helps you find what you are
looking for quicker. Titles or descriptors - These words or
abbreviations used will
help to finalize the
attribution. There are a
lot of
abbreviations that could be attached within the
legend, such as
IMP, AVG, COS, P, F, DN, GAL, VAL, A, M etc.
Just one title could
change the whole coin's
attribution. Known legends - There are several places to find lists of legends like: ·
Moneta or other software ·
RIC,
Sear,
Van Meter or other books ·
Web sites like the
FORVM,
WildWinds,
Dirty Old Coins, etc. These
known legends are most of the time able to be attached to the various
mints. One
legend may be only used at a single mint. This is important
information when you are looking for the various available places where a
certain coin was made. Partial legends - There are several
places to find search engines of legend's characters if you can only see
a few of the letters. These are found in places like:
· Moneta or other software
·
FORVM ·
WildWinds Note:
some letters are very common and will produce a long listing of
possibilities. Examples of those letters are AVG, IMP, DN CAE, and NOB.
While other combination of letters like COSXXIX are very unique and
return a short list if not a single hit when they are used.
Reverse Device (the picture on the back of the coin)
For
an Imperial issue it will most likely tie to the
reverse legend.
Expect certain devices with certain legends. For example; the "FEL
TEMP"s will be a "fallen horseman", a "Phoenix"
type (either on a mound
or on a globe), a hut (with spear point up or down)
type or a Galley
(with either
Phoenix or
Victory)
type.
Type - There are many
different types of
reverse devices on these coins. These run from the
common "two soldiers that are flanking one or two standards" to special
one of a kind architectural depiction of a building that could even be
shown in 3D. The device most likely will be a noun a person(s) place or
thing. ·
Person(s) - Emperor(s), Deity(s), family member(s), soldier(s), combinations, etc ·
Place - Harbor, on a boat, in the clouds or another
type of scene ·
Thing -
Altar,
wreath, building, animal, etc Description - What is going on? Is someone- ·
Walking ·
Standing ·
Holding ·
etc Items - There could be many different items held or
just in the scene such as: ·
scale ·
cornucopia ·
scepter ·
rudder ·
globe ·
whip ·
the list goes on and on and on………….. Number in the scene - How many figures make up the
complete scene and where are they in relationship to each other. Such as: ·
Four Princes in front of……….. ·
Emperor and a Deity facing…………. ·
Two Soldiers flanking………… "Extra" items - Are there "extra" parts to the scene? If so what are they? Items like: ·
Eagle at the feet………. ·
Holding
Victory on a globe…. ·
Captives being speared. ·
Etc
Mint Marking(s) and other control marks
Placement on the coin - Where on the coin are the various marking: ·
Exergue - the space below a line on the
reverse of the coin most of the time at the bottom of the
reverse device ·
Fields:
· Center
· Right
· Left
·
Other places:
· Above- as in: star above the She Wolf or Campgates
· Behind- as in: (delta) behind bust
· After- as in: pellet after legend
· Under- as in: pellets under Bust
Type of markings - Letters,
symbols, characters and other types of marks From
these marks and the placement along with the right references you can
even know the timing of the striking of the coin at a certain city.
Putting it all together…………….
Now
all six of these points need to be brought together to form the
complete attribution. The reference book, if any, that was used must be
cited and an "attribution" must be written. Most common
descriptions of imperial coinage start off with the ruler or issuer of
the coin in question and then list the descriptors to pull all of it
together. For clarity and brevity some of the exactness may, and
should, be left out of the written
attribution. Here is a
"typical"
attribution written for a coin. Common name of the ruler and
the time frame of rule,
denomination, physical characteristics, mint
with coin striking timing if known. Next the
obverse legend (in capital
lettering and bold characters),
obverse device description,
reverse
legend (in capital lettering and bold characters),
reverse device
description, with the placement of mint and control marks and finally
the citing of reference numbers. Sometimes you can even put a picture
with it to
help in the visualization of the attributed coin and/or a
quick visual description.
Aurelian (270–275 A.D.) AE-Antoninianus, 22 mm, 3.26gm,
die alignment 180 degrees, struck at
Siscia in 274 or 275;
obv- IMPCAVRELIANVSAVG Radiate bust,
cuirassed, right;
rev- CONCORDIAMILITVM
Aurelian standing right facing Concord standing left, clasping right
hands, with XXIVI in
exergue. RIC 244 (vol. V
part II page 292), VM 7
page 257,
Sear 3258 (1988 4
th ed.) & C. 60. This coin
exhibits an even
toning on both of the
silvered (nearly
complete)
surfaces. There is some damage form the lower
part of the Emperor
through the
exergue, that obscures some of the mint mark.
A much shorter version would be:
Aurelian (270-275) ANT.
CONCORDIAMILITVM This
gets you close, but very little
help is given to the reader, who could
be a buyer for a coin you are looking to sell. Don't get me wrong, each
of these attributions have their place as well as the spectrum of all
of those in between them. If you can't find all of the
information, give as much of it as you can. If you are asking for
help
in completing an
attribution make sure you give as much information as
you can. Asking someone to
help ID a coin that is described by saying,
"it has a
head on one
side and two figures on the other with some
lettering around both" will be a waste of your time and no one will be
able to
help. While on the other hand if you post a picture of both
sides of the coin and tell all the letters that can be seen, together
with any book or Internet references that you feel may apply, your
chances are much better for someone to be able to
help you. HAPPY ATTRIBUTING………………
- 101
Ancient Coin Collecting 101Uncleaned Ancient Coins 101Roman Coin Attribution 101Greek Coin Collecting 101Patina 101Magnification 101Diameter 101Die Alignment 101Bust Types 101Ancient Coin Prices 101Ancient
Coin Authentication 101
