Ancient Coin Project

1
Ancient Coin Project
Photo by Doug Smith http//dougsmith.ancients.inf
o/

• created by Latin teacher Cathy Scaife for
• Ancient Coins for Education
• classroom attribution project.

2
Ancient Coin Project
Photo by Doug Smith http//dougsmith.ancients.inf
o/

• Part II
• Production of Roman Coins

3
The Making of a Coin
---authority to issue and guarantee coins worth
---possession of metal
---ability to refine metal to desired purity
---tools/techniques to fabricate coin from
metal
4
Possession of Metal
5
Ability to Refine Metals(Pliny, Natural History
Bk. XXXIII)
Alloy the mixing of precious metals with base
metals to create a usable material Electrum
natural alloy of gold and silver Bronze
alloy of copper and tin Silver Gold (rare)
6
Tools and Techniques to Mint a Coin
Juno Moneta Roman goddess of the mint ---a
temple to Juno Moneta was dedicated on the
citadel of Rome In 344 B.C. ---an adjoining
building contained the mint of Roman state.
7
The Making of a Coin
Mints in the Roman Empire
8
The Minting of Roman Coins
---casting in a mold
---striking
9
Cast Bronze Coinage 5th c.- mid 2nd c. BCE
1. Aes rude, central Italy, 3rd c.
2. AE dolphin money, Olbia, 5-4th c.
3. Aes grave, wheel coins
http//dougsmith.ancients.info/
4. Tooth-shaped, Akragas, Sicily, 5th c.
5. Arrow or leaf ,6th-5th c.
10
Aes Grave
Janus / Galley As (pl. Asses)
11
Striking Making a Flan
ancient coin mold
funnel-shaped bronze for pouring liquid metal
into cast
12
Striking Making of a Flan ---cabo de barro
(cob style) cookie dough style (chiseling the
end off a rod)
Severus Alexander
---hammering a bronze wire
13
The Making of a CoinTools/techniques to
fabricate coin from metal
---flan ---dies (obverse reverse) ---tongs ---st
riking process ---coin rotation Medieval
Striking Rig (but set up is similar to a Roman
rig)
14
A CoinMakers Tools
15
Display, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
16
Much Slave Labor Required Celatores (signatores)
die engravers cut master die from which working
dies were made dies lasted for 10,000 50,000
strikes Suppostores placers Malleatores
strikers
17
DiesByzantine die
Islamic die
Byzantine coin
18
Forgers Dies
1-Sestertius 2-Mark Antony 3-Republican
19
Modern Die and Hub American Numismatic Association
Museum, Colorado Springs
20
The Making of a CoinTools/techniques to
fabricate coin from metal
---flan ---dies (obverse reverse) ---tongs ---st
riking process ---coin rotation Medieval
Striking Rig (but set up is similar to a Roman
rig)
21
Coin Denominations
Roman denominations during the Republic
22
Obverse (heads) CONSTANTIVS NOB
CAES Constantius Nobilissimus Caesar
Reverse (tails) GENIO POPVLI ROMANI to the
genius of the Roman people
23
Attribution of the Images on the Coin
24
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Pontifex
Maximus Tribunicia Potestas Imperator Pater
Patriae
Caesar Augustus Nero Claudius, High Priest and
Ruler of Rome and Germany, Supreme Commander of
the armies of Rome, the father of his country,
leader of the Triumviratefor as long as he shall
live.
25
Gold Coins Fine Coin Craftsmanship
Plantation Place, England
26
The Kentucky Quarter
What similarities and differences do you see
with ancient coins?
27
GOOFS

• Brockage the result of a coin sticking in a die
  when a second coin gets struck.

28
GOOFS
Clashed Dies Dies are hammered together without
a coin in place, so that the softer reverse die
receives a partial impression of the obverse.
1.Clodius Albinus, AVG. from
Lugdunum 2.Julia Domna denarii
29
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES
Silvering technique of soaking coins in salt
water to give them a silvery appearance
Debasement the weakening of currency by
reducing the amount of precious metal content
30
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES
Countermark Small punch mark used by a mint to
retariff a coin.
31
Baked Clay Molds
COUNTERFEITING ??
used for casting Roman coins made of bronze
32
COUNTERFEITING
Fouree the coating of a copper coin with a
silver wash.
Serrated Edges perhaps used to prove coin was
not a fouree and edges not shaved
33
Image Sources

• Meshorer, Yaakov. Coins of the Ancient World.
  Lerner Archaeology Series Digging Up the Past.
  (Lerner Publications Company, Minneapolis, 1980).
• Russell, Solveig Paulson. From Barter to Gold
  The Story of Money. (Rand McNally Company,
  Chicago, 1961).
• Website by Doug Smith. http//dougsmith.ancients.i
  nfo/
• Website, American Numismatic Museum.
  www.money.org
• Other Images donated by supporters of Ancient
  Coins for Education, as listed at
  http//www.bitsofhistory.com/acc/CI.html