I've noticed that barbaric imitations are almost always of markedly less artistic quality. Some of them look cartoonish, some have incorrect spelling, and some just look BAD. Were citizens of the time actually fooled by these? Was there imperial punishment for essentially making crude counterfeits of circulation coins?
If I remember right... If they were bronze, I don’t think they were meant to fool anyone but to serve as coinage where it may have been scarce at the time. Here’s one that pretty closely copies a specific issue (Cyzicus RIC 11) that I recently received. Licinius II Cyzicus. after 317-320 AD. Obverse: DN VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C, laureate, draped bust left Reverse: IOVI CONSER-VATORI CAESS, Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe and leaning on sceptre. Wreath in left field, “S” in right field Mintmark SMK. RIC VII Cyzicus 11
I suspect in many cases these 'barbarous' coins served as money where there was none of the official issue. In the US there were two periods where the government did not make enough small change for commerce so private mints made Hard Times and Civil War tokens to serve as cents. I see the same thing happening in the far reaches of the empire or just outside it (the limes).
i concur with the above peeps...they weren't really meant to fool anyone, but were used as legit money...silver's still silver, same for bronze and gold...they just paid a compliment to those whos coins they copied..
I am fascinated by Limes. I understand that they are not completely known, but I am in the camp that they were Emergency Monies or Script of the Legions in hotly contested zones or borders of the Empire. If overrun / defeated, the Empire would not lose huge caches of precious metals (AR and AV). Rather, AE was struck into Denarii for use in these zones as token money. Similar to our Military Script used by the military in Hot Zones today, or by Allies / Axis nations during WWII, etc. My thoughts. RI Hadrian, AD 117-138 Æ Limes Denarius 18mm 3.5mm after AD 125 Genius stndg sacrificing altar cornucopia RIC II 173
Of the coins I sent away, this one has appeared here most often. I am so glad it found a place where it is appreciated. I do not know whether the Emergency money theory is correct or not; nor do I know how the matter can be proven one way or another. It is reasonable.
Thanks for the little guy. It is very much appreciated. I am always fascinated by different or eclectic coins. They had a purpose, and it is just interesting to speculate and/or find their answers. I remember as a child, my Grandparents gave me several Mils (10th of a US Cent), and finding a Civil War Token Cent in their coffee can of change, etc. They were impactful gifts to me as they were monies, had a History and purpose, but they were not everyday money.
In addition to that, Britain had a period a couple centuries plus back when "evasion tokens" were commonly circulated as the mint was not turning out enough of the small change. Much of this stuff wound up here in America and circulated well beyond colonial independence. When Interstate I-95 was being constructed in Philadelphia back in the 1970's contractors excavated wooden BARRELS of light weight, unofficial half pennies. Did users of such coinage know or care about that? I don't think so. Before Italy adopted the Euro a few years back there was a constant shortage of small change, "spicculi" I think they called it, where almost anything was acceptable as small change (even pieces of chewing gum and telephone tokens). Necessity makes just about anything permissible. Heck, as a kid I recall getting bus tokens and Canadian pennies in my change and no one seemed to make much of it.
Over the years I've come across more than a few Flavian 'barbs' listed by dealers as official mint products. If those who have access to the internet and catalogues for info are fooled I suppose it's not a stretch to assume many ancients were as well.
If I am not mistaken those "mills" (two ll's) tokens were used in making property tax payments where the value was determined in mills. I remember in elementary school calculating in mills was a required skill, though I never recall seeing an actual coin or token valued in mills in school. if one Googles the term, "tax mill tokens", images, some state issued tokens will come up.
They were also used to pay gasoline, since the price per gallon was $0.xx9 ... Even today, gasoline in the US has a dangling 9mills at the end if the per gallon price.
As David implies, some imitative issues were remarkably good style. An entire range of quality is evident in pieces seen on the internet from nearly passable as official to ludicrous. We focus on the obviously wrong but there are probably more sliders than there are absurds.
Interesting question, @hotwheelsearl . This is my small sub-collection of indigenous imitations of Roman Republican coinage from Hispania. I’m not sure they exactly qualify as the type of coins in question because I understand them to have been tolerated and possibly sanctioned by the Roman Government. It was the naive and stylized illustrations that caught my eye.
