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Bronze AE29 of Plautilla from Pautalia in Thrace,
202-205 CE.
29mm across,
14.8 grammes. |
This very pleasant coin shows the young wife of Caracalla looking untypically plump. On the reverse is a coiled, bearded serpent which looks quite unusual to modern eyes, but which was a common reverse in the Eatern empire. The hole has been hammered through from the snake side, so that was most likely what was displayed.
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Fourrée denarius of Julia Maesa,
after 218-222 CE.
19 x 20mm across,
2.51 grammes. |
I thought this was just going to be another example that shows how coins known to be fakes were holed for use as decoration. The large brown area, where the silver layer has come away, would probably not have been so large or conspicuous at that time, and in fact probably was not there at all. I think that because the silver coating extends to the inside of the hole! Making this object as jewellery from the start would have been a foolish enterprise, so I suspect it was faked with a hole to allay any suspicions causes by its slightly odd style. An official and unholed example of this coin is here. |
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Bronze AE33 of Gordian III from Singara in Mesopotamia,
241-244 CE.
33mm across,
14.6 grammes. |
This is a strange-looking coin! It looks almost pentagonal, but that's probably accidental.
Some provincial bronzes have a dimple near the centre, probably made when the coin blank was formed, and at first I
thought this might have been a badly made coin. But this
type doesn't have them, so maybe this hole was to allow the coin to be nailed or pinned up.
This coin was among a mixed cheap batch on eBay, so it cost me about 2 pounds. Worth every penny! |
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Bronze AE32 of Gordian III from Singara in Mesopotamia,
241-244 CE.
32mm across,
22.3 grammes. |
And now I also have this one. I couldn't resist it – though it was rather more
expensive than the previous example. This one has been holed for use as a pendant,
which gives it that personal touch.
These coins show Gordian
III and his wife Tranquillina facing each other on one side, and on the other is Tyche seated on a rock, with the
centaur Saggitarius above her head (very small) and a sea god below.
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Bronze AE31 of Gordian III from Viminacium in Moesia Superior,
239-240 CE.
31mm across,
18.5 grammes. |
Here's another large provincial bronze of Gordian III, this time from Viminacium. The
reverse design was standard for this province, and shows the city goddess between the symbols of the 4th and 7th
legions, which were stationed in Upper Moesia; the bull for Legio VII Claudia Pia Fidelis, and the lion for
Legio IIII Flavia Felix.
A small neat hole has been made just below Gordian's head, but the bronze has broken away from the far side of
the hole as it was made, so that side is not so neat. If this coin were worn as a pendant, the head would be
upside down to others, but the right way up if the wearer looked at it.
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Bronze AE24 of Philip II from Perga in Pamphylia,
247-249 CE.
24mm across,
8.4 grammes. |
The son of Philip I was given the status of Augustus, and hence the right to be shown
wearing a laurel wreath on the coinage, in 247 CE. This pleasant provincial coin has on its reverse a prize
chest with three purses on top. This may have been to celebrate a victory in the Olympic games, or one of the
other national games, by a native of the town. As this coin celebrates the acquisition of wealth, it's not hard
to guess what sort of a good luck token it was!
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Billon antoninianus of Severina,
270-275 CE.
21x22mm across,
4.0 grammes. |
This silvered coin is holed above and below the bust, and shows hardly any wear at all. It might have been strung together with other coins to make a necklace, only worn occasionally, or perhaps attached to some object as decoration.
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Bronze quinarius of Allectus,
293-296 CE.
18x19mm across,
2.45 grammes. |
A so-called "quinarius" of the breakaway British Roman Empire. These are called quinarii because of the letter Q in the exergue, but no-one knows for sure. This coin was most likely made in a London mint.
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