A Constans AE3 and possible discussion of Roman minting technique...

I realize that just because one reads something on the internet, it doesn't necessarily make it so. But I read that one of the techniques the Romans used to make flans was to pour the bronze into "tree" molds, then strike the coins on the tree and break the individual pieces off.

I don't know whether this is true or not, but this new addition to my LRBs might be an example of a coin that was made by just such a technique. What say you?

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Molding is a very well documented method of preparing flans, especially for copper. I know from my own coins this definitely was done in Nabatea and Judea, as well as some other eastern mints. I have not really read much about it with LRBs, though, so I would be interested in an answer as well.

 

Me too. I did not think the flans were made from a mold, but I can learn something new.

 

It certainly looks like there's a tab on the side of my coin, at which point the struck flan could have been broken off. It doesn't prove anything, of course. It's also possible that it's a random shape.

 

Flans at that time were made in a mold is the commonly held viewpoint, and is believe to be the most common way to make flans.

For low value coins of certain empires (notably the Parthians), copper cut from a bar (ingot) was used.

Wish I could post my Carthage bronze... It shows the mold sprues very well.

Welcome,

Windchild

 

Really? I own Parthian copper coins, and they sure do not look like they were cut from bars.

Do you mean the Bactrians perhaps?

 

Medoraman,

Note the Low Value part of that statement.

This is what I learned at the Numismatic Museum of Athens...

 

I don't believe it has to be an either/or proposition. From what I've gathered, the Romans definitely punched flans from sheets, but it's also possible they used molds. It's also possible both techniques could have been used concurrently, although I have no sources to document that.

As far as my Nabataeans go, some coins are struck on flans that were clearly punched out of thin sheets with nice, round punches. Others are thicker, with square edges, and at least point to the idea that they were roughly cut from ingots.

 

I have chalkoi, is there a lower value Parthian unit? I have never heard of one, nor seen one in Sellwood. The chalkoi I own are all round AE coins, very similar to western greek or roman coins. I simply do not see any evidence of clipping from a larger sheet of metal on them. If it was done, then I would suspect most greek and roman coins to also be made the same way, since they look identical.

Do you own any of these sir, or have you seen them in hand? I would like to know what evidence there is that these were clipped off a larger bar.

 

I have none of these

As I said, all of this information is from the Numismatic Museum of Athens..

I'm just trusting the Museum

Note: They may have made a mistake (from your reaction, quite probable)

 

I never listen to anyone who says that some specific truth must apply to all other applications. It is not necessarily true that all Roman mints used the same flan preparation techniques and it is quite possible that the same mint might have changed their methods every time they changed management or technical staff. I believe most were cast but I really doubt all or even most were done in trees. This is not something I have studied.



Above is the photo from my page on Parthian bronzes. In the mix are several coins that are obviously cast flans and others that look to be cut from scrap. Note the sprues on #1 and #10 while #8 sure looks like a chop job. I have not bought a Parthian bronze for years. They used to be dirt cheap in keeping with their ugliness but recently have been selling for more as more people get interested in Parthian coins and history.

 

My Carthaginian coin (you've seen it before ) that shows the casting method of making flans quite well...




I'm interested in any more responses on the topic of making flans