Late Roman Silver

I was collecting for a long time before I bought my first siliqua, a silver denomination that first became common under Constantius II (AD 337-361). The book on them is Roman Silver Coins, volume V, by C. (Cathy) E. King.

On thing you need to be aware of when buying late Roman silver is that it is often clipped. Some scholars think that is because weight standards for new siliqua declined over time and the old ones still in circulation were clipped down to the new, lighter, weights. In 355 the siliqua was reduced from c. 3.0 grams to c. 1.9 grams without changing the types, although the reduced size, both diameter and weight, is pretty evident.



17 mm. 1.96 grams. Unclipped Constantius II "reduced siliqua" of AD 360-361 struck at Lyons (LVG) under Julian II.

DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG
VICTORIA DD NN AVG, Victory standing left with wreath and palm, only one wing showing.

RSC V 259a. RIC VIII Lyons 214.

Show us some late Roman silver! (And give its diameter and weight if you can.)

 

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Not clipped, just broken

Valens
Mint: Antioch
367 to 375 AD
AR Siliqua
Obvs: DN VALENS PER F AVG, Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed right.
Revs: VOT X MVLT XX, in laurel wreath. ANTH
17x19mm, 1.59g
Ref: RIC IX 34d.9


Valentinian II
388 to 392 AD
AR Siliqua
Mint: Trier
Obvs: DN V(ALENTIN)IANVS PF AVG
Revs: VIRTVS ROMANORVM, Roma holding spear and victory. TRPS
15x16mm, 1.2g
Ref: RIC IX.94a

And a early Byzantine

Commemorating Constantinople
5th/6th c. AD
Mint: Constantinople
AR Scripulum
Obvs: Helmeted, draped, and cuirassed bust of Constantinopolis right.
Revs: Large K.
13x15mm, 1.07g
Bendall 8c

 

Cool coins. Still need to add some siliquae to my collection.

 

Nice coin, I still need to get my hands on some acceptable examples, but the clipping suffered by many has always been a turn-off. Was the clipping thought to have been orchestrated systematically and officially, or was it an organic reaction by a multitude of merchants upon learning of the reduced weight standard?

 

kool Warren

 

Beautiful Siliqua @Valentinian ! The detail and minimal circulation wear really pops this coin!

As you know, I do not focus in this era of Roman History, but I do enjoy having a couple Siliquae to represent this time.

I have my first one that I also purchased after 20 years of collecting:

(Not clipped, rather was chipped and stabbed / mutilated )

Roman Imperial
Arcadius, AD 395-408
AR Siliqua, 16mm, 1.1g, 12h.
Mint MDPS, struck in Milan in 402
Obv.: DN ARCADI-VS PF AVG; Pearl diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VIRTVS RO-MANORVM; Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and reversed spear.
Ref: RIC1227
From the Doug Smith Collection, #2829, via @John Anthony



And, got one for your namesake! (and, not clipped)

Valentinian II, CE 375-392
AR Siliqua, 18mm, 1.8g, 12h;
Trier Mint, AD 375-378
Obv.: DN VALENTINIANVS IVN PG AVG; Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VICTORIA AVGGG; Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm // TRPS
Reference: RIC IX 43
Ex: @John Anthony

 

I have no Siliqua, but how about an Argenteus

MAXIMIANUS
AR Argenteus
OBVERSE: MAXIMIANVS AVG, laureate head right
REVERSE: VIRTVS MILITVM, four tetrarchs sacrificing before walls with 6 turrets
Struck at Ticinum, 295 AD
2.6g, 18mm
RIC VI 18b

 

Lovely coins! I picked up a cheap-ish ($60) Valens siliqua a while ago; still need to image it.

I have always wondered - why are late silvers so scarce, compared to the denarii of two centuries prior? Once the Crisis was over, did people simply not care about intrinsic value? Or were all those medieval denars and pennies made from melted siliquae?

 

Here's a silvered Tacitus...

Tacitus
275-276 CE Antoninianus Rome
mint, 4th officina. 2nd emission,
November-December AD 275.
Radiate, draped, and cuirassed
bust right / Salus standing left,
holding scepter and feeding out
of patera serpent coiled around
and rising from altar to left. RIC
V 93 corr. (standing, not
seated); BN 1562. Near EF,
silvering, toned

 

Cool coin and great write up @Valentinian

I have shown this example before but it is one of my favorites. It was part of the Harptree Hoard found in 1887.


Roman Empire
Julian II, AD 360-363
AR Siliqua, Lugdunum mint, struck ca. AD 360-361
Wt.: 2.23 g
Dia.: 18 mm
Obv.: FL CL IVLIA NVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: VICTORIA DD NN AVG, Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond
Ref.: LVG. RIC VIII 212; Lyon 259; RSC 58†c, IRBCH 142

 

I also was late in 4th century silver, this coin I bought only in 2018 (from Frank Robinson). 4th century Roman gold is next on the list, maybe next year.
It is not clipped, but a bit nibbled apparently.

AR siliqua Honorius, Milan. Obv. DNHONORI-VSPFAVG. Draped and cuirassed bust t.r. Rev. VIRTVSRO-MANORVM. Roma seated left with little Victory in one hand and sceptre in the other. In exergue, MDPS. 15 mm, 1.29 gr. RSC 59b var. RIC X 1228 var.

 

Very nice silver all!

I've got 2 siliqua (for now): one of Constantius II (big-boy non-reduced and non-clipped) and one of Julian II (non-clipped?)...


Constantius II (337-361), AR Siliqua, issued 351-355. Constantinople, 3.09g, 21mm.
Obv: DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG; Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: VOTIS / XXX / MVLTIS / XXXX; Legend in four lines, all within wreath. C(palm frond)Δ in ex.
RIC VIII 104
https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/amcoinscanada/browse?a=407&l=398236


Julian II (360-63), AR Siliqua. Lugdunum, 2.33g, 18mm.
Obv: FL CL IVLIA-NVS P P AVG, Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: VOTIS / V / MULTIS / X; Legend in four lines, all within wreath. LVG in ex.
RIC VIII 219
https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/amcoinscanada/browse?a=407&l=398239

 

While a Byzantine coin (OK late roman if you squint) I just pulled the trigger on this miliaresion of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, 10th century A.D.

 

Ken Harl in his book Coinage in the Roman Economy postulates that clipping was done officially due to the continuous and tumultuous reforms of the period. This would make sense as such wholesale clipping of the coinage would not likely be tolerated. I have often wondered how daily commerce would have worked. How would a merchant evaluate a coin of any period still being used? I imagine it would have worked just fine on a local level, but when considering interstate or inter-provincial commerce coinage would have been weighed for larger transactions.

 

Yeah, I'm wondering how all of the different weights due to clipping would have been handled in the economy in general. By this time however some trading started to be done in kind, a precursor to the early medieval period, especially in the West.

 

That's an error in RIC, this type from Rome is always standing. Ticinum has a seated variety.

 

I like silver coins but have had trouble understanding the thought processes that led mints to make so many interesting reverses in the mid to late 4th century bronzes but so few in silver. Siliquae come in reverses other than Vota and 'just sitting theres' but you have to look. Where are my silver horsemen and ships?
2.9g


2.1g


1.8g


2.1g


1.3g


1.6g

 

I have one of Constantine I minted at Antioch

 

Just found this in my old folders. Alex. Severus ..