I have picked up several cast bars this year. Some have marks and some do not. From left to right: #1 Central Italy AES Signatum (bronze currency bar) with punched inscriptions: X and C (crescent) Late 4th to early 3rd century BC per seller, dating per T&V page 16. Vecchi in ICC dates counter-stamped aes rude and cast bars 7th to 3rd century BC. “Interesting bronze lumps countermarked with a cross and crescent, probably symbolizing the sun and moon..” Fragment of an originally rectangular bronze bar, decoration indeterminate. The full bar was 68mm wide and part of the bar is this width. The small part is only 36mm wide. Length is 27 to 67 mm and thickness is 30 mm. The edge seams on one side is 15mm (or about 50% of the thickness) and only 6mm (20%) on the other side. 597 grams Condition: Green patina, fragmentary #2 Ramo Secco. AE Ingot (Fragment) (255 g), Northern or Central Italy, Late 4th to early 3rd century BC per seller, dating per T&V page 16. Vecchi in ICC dates cast Ramo Secco bars 6th to 4th century BC. c. 4.-3. Century. v. Border piece of a bar with branch pattern (about 5.1 x 4.4 x 3 cm). Thurlow / Vecchi AS 1 L = 25 mm W = 50 mm T = 18 mm Wt. = 220g #3 AES SIGNATUM. Fragment of an originally rectangular bronze bar, no decoration. L = 25 mm W = 50 mm T = 18 mm Wt. = 220g Roman Republic, Aes Signatum fragment with incuse symbol, C or crescent moon 22.39 grams 25 X 23 X 6.5 mm Cast bars with marks are not common. The RS bars seem a bit more common, and a bit higher priced (for good examples). I found some in my books: G. Garrucci, Le Lemonete Del'Italia Antica; Table LXVII. T&V Italian Cast Coins Vecchi, ICC has several pieces in in Table 1. Vecchi suggests the X and C are the sun and moon. You can see a bit more here: http://rrdenarius.blogspot.com/
