Weight guide for denarii?

[KD]

Hello,

Does anyone know of a quick general guide for weights of Roman denarii through the ages?  I'd like to have a quick reference - also, if you could give me an idea of how much weight varied in different times, and as of what point I should just assume that a coin is not authentic.  I know that Van Meter has one, but it's only as of the 4th century.

Thanks

[Howard Cole]

Not sure what you are looking for but have you read Wayne Salyes books?  From what I can find out the Denarius started around 211 BC with a weight of about 4.5 grams.  It slowly dropped to 3 grams by 296 AD, when the denomination disappeared (becoming the Argenteus or siliqua).

These web sites might also help you.
[BROKEN LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]
UNRV Roman coin denominations
Thayer Denarius (weight in grains)

[PeterD]

I believe that before Nero, the weight was (or should have been) 1/72 of a Roman Pound. Since the Roman Pound was approx. 327 grams, that gives a weight of 4.55 gms. Nero's reforms then made the Denarius 1/96 of a Roman Pound or 3.41 gms. In practice they cheated by slightly reducing the average weight. As time went on the silver was de-based which would have some affect on the weight. However, in actual fact, weights for individual coins seem to have varied wildly. I have quite a few Denarii stretching across the entire time period that they were issued and even allowing for weight loss due to wear I can't detect any trends in the weights. Of course, taken in large numbers it may be that such trends can be seen, but that wouldn't help you or I authenticate an individual coin. For these reasons, I don't think you will find any "tables of weights" that you are asking about.

Where weighing can help authentication is in identifying fourees - ancient copper cored counterfeits - which will be of noticably lower weight.

Hope that helps

[KD]

I does help indeed.  I had hoped that there was something a little more systematic about it that could help with identification.  I find that there is wide variance, including many denarii more or less post-Antoninus Pius being closer to 2 grams, whereas my Republican coins are closer to 4.  This had worried me.

[KD]

These are wonderful sites - thank you.  And while I had heard of Wayne Salyes's books, your post convinced me finally to buy a couple.  Thanks again.

[PeterD]

Correction: I've just been informed by someone who knows a lot more than me, that the weight before Nero's reforms was 1/84 of a Roman Pound or 3.86 grams.

[Marius]

A book by Kenneth Harl named "Coinage in the Roman Economy, 300 B.C. to A.D. 700" has average weights for denarii, antoninianii and Egyptian tetradrachms for each reign.  It's a great reference book (or good for a read too).  If you have a specific emperor in mind I can look up the data.  In addition to average weight, the book also gives silver content (in percent).
Richard