Hello Coin Friends, Was this rim type just a fashion at that time or was there more to it? feel free to post your RR, with similar rim. C. Poblicius Q. f. AR Serrate Denarius. Rome, 80 BC. Hercules Reference. Poblicia 9; Crawford 380/1; Sydenham 768; Cal-1145; FFC-1017 Obv. ROMA behind above control mark A Draped bust of Roma right, helmet decorated with corn ears and control mark above head, Rev. C. POBLICI. Q. [F] on right. control mark [A] Hercules strangling the Nemean lion, club at his feet, bow and arrow on left. 3.87 gr 19 mm max.
Wow Oki, that's a sweet Serrate ... man, I love the Herc & Lion reverse!! Well okay => here are a couple of my cool examples ... C. Hosidius C.f. Geta, AR Denarius Serratus Rome Mint 64 BC Diameter: 20 mm Weight: 3.63 grams Obverse: GETA – III·VIR, Draped bust of Diana to right, with her hair simply arranged and with bow and quiver at her shoulder. Reverse: C.HOSIDI.C.F, Wild Calydonian boar standing right, pierced by spear and attacked by hound. Reference: Hosidia 2. Cr.407/1. Syd.904. Other: linear banker's mark on neck L. Roscius Fabatus, AR Serratus Denarius Rome Mint Struck 59 BC Diameter: 18mm Weight: 3.84 grams Obverse: Head of Juno Sospita in goat skin, L ROSCI below, Rhyton behind (couple of banker's marks) Reverse: Girl standing right feeding serpent before, symbol to left, FABATI in exergue Reference: Crawford 412/1; Syd 915; Roscia 3 ... good times, eh?
cool serrate denarius oki! here is my favorite, i post this all the time...sorry to everyone bored with it. here's an old one i need to reshoot some time.. here's a dougs write up on the type... http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/feac14.html
It was for anti-counterfeiting so plated coins would show underlying material. Didn't work well and the practice was abandoned. It was picked up here and there but never lasted.
I don't think it's been decided for certain. The serrated denarii seem to be mostly grouped during the early to mid 1st century BC but I have one from from the 2nd Punic War era and early denarius issues. The main arguments I've read are to discourage forgeries, fashion/ tastes at that time, or to reduce flan cracking because of the metal content during during that period (I think that's probably far fetched). It must have really added to the work of flan creation and I think the earlier ones during the 1st century show better craftsmanship in the serrates than later ones. Anyway, here's an early one. Denarius serratus, Sicily (?) circa 209-208, AR (21mm, 3.91g, 2h). Helmeted head of Roma r.; behind, X. Rev. The Dioscuri galloping r.; below, six-spoked wheel. In exergue, [ROMA]. Sydenham 519. Crawford 79/1.
As far as reasons there are a lot of theories but we really don't know. As has been pointed out, it could be for anti-counterfeiting purposes, for stylistic purposes, to make the flans stronger against edge tearing, etc. but really we don't fully understand why they were serrated and there are good arguments for and against every theory I've ever heard of. That said, I do have a handful of these fascinating coins:
