I picked up this AE4 (and that's a generous award) minim (minimus) at the flea market. Usually these things are so well worn and wretchedly struck that it's hard to figure out what they are. In this case it appears to be a coin of Honorius with Victory dragging a barbarian captive behind. Still even if well struck and legible I cannot imagine what one could have bought with this coin. Three ripe grapes? A four day old bread crust? Maybe in a follis along with a thousand of his buddies something of value. What most strikes me about coins like this is the talent and ability of the celator who did the die work. How in Juno's name could he ever engrave an iron die with such detail that one can read the emperor's name at all. I wonder if Honorius was embarrassed to be seen on such. In any event let's see what other tiny coins members can post to determine how small an ancient coin could get and still be recognizable (and spendable) as a real money.
There is greek silvers much smaller with some nice art that makes you go in awe with the engraving done.
Actually, I think it's Theodosius II (DN THEODO-SIVS PF AVG). I love these little Victory dragging types!
Indeed, it's a remarkable testament to their skill, and must have been a painstaking process indeed. Small wonder the quality slipped when the declining Empire had other priorities. Congrats. That's a sharp little guy. Electrums, too. Those are handsome. I particularly like the Arcadius.
Here are a couple of my small ones Greek Their excuse is Silver and Gold were valued metals, and at this time fiat currency (bronze) was not invented yet... Iona Kolophon AR Tetartemorion 530-520 BCE Archaic Apollo Incuse Punch 0.15g 4.5mm- SNG Kayhan 343 Ionia AR Tetartemorion 4mm 0.13g 530-500 BCE Rosette - Incuse sq punch 5 pellets SNG von Aulock 1807 Roman Break-down Era RI Marcian 450-457 CE AE4 11mm monogram RI Johannes 423-425 CE AE4 Nummus Victory RARE
Wow, Johannes. I think that counts as a nice portrait on one of his Æs! Talk about crude. But fascinating.
Here is a 11 mm Arcadius AE 4 with the SALVS REIP. reverse... Arcadius, AE4, 388-392 AD O: D N ARCADIVS P F AVG R: SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Victory advancing left, dragging captive, Tau-Rho in left field. CONS? in ex. Constantinople mint. RIC IX Constantinople 86. 11 mm, 1.5 g
Small is hard to pin down since these little ones vary a lot in thickness so the smallest diameter is not the lightest. I do not have recorded which coin is smallest with legend (the matter of discussion here). When you get into the 4mm, 0.1g area things get hard to measure and calibration of scales becomes impostant. Many candidates are attributed to "Uncertain, Cilicia" which seems to mean there is not even a single letter of legend. This Griffen head is in that group. I will have to look to see which coin is smallest with any letter and which is smallest with 'full' legend. That is a project for another day.
One type of Yahud coins particularly fascinates me. It is not the smallest, averaging about 0.2g, but it has two long lines of text, "Hezekiah the governor". The lines forming the letters are only 0.1 mm wide! And yet the inscription is clear and fully readable. How did they make it with technology available in IV century BC I can't comprehend. Here is the type: http://www.menorahcoinproject.org/yhd-24.htm
Right you are about it being Theodosius. Young eyes versus my, uhh , "veteran" eyes. But I think it may be the first Theodosius.
Ancients can get very tiny. I'm not even sure this is my smallest, but it is the only one I've photographed in comparison to a modern coin.
Yehud hemiobol (aka: "1/2 ma'ah obol", and aka: "half-gerah"). Late-4th century B.C. Hezekiah as Governor. Hendin 1069. Diam.: 6.1 mm. Weight.: .252 gr. (1/2 Gerah on Persic standard)
My latest minimus, EUGENIUS (392-394). Ae. Aquileia. Obv: D N EVGENIVS P F AVG. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: SPES ROMANORVM / AQS. Victory advancing left with palm branch and wreath. RIC 59. Weight: 0.9 g., Diameter: 12 mm.
I never get a chance to post this much, but you reminded me of my HackSilver: Israelite AR 2 Gerah Hacksilber ca 8th-6th C. BCE 8.8x10mm 1.12g ex David Hendin RARE