I think I've got it. After the first hit the coin stuck to the hammer part of the die (the reverse) Then it was struck again a bit off center. So the reverse was actually hit twice but in the same spot. Sound right?
Very cool coin, Bob! New addition? I think you are on to something with your theory. The question now is, why did he strike the obverse twice?
Exactly. Either that or the second strike was strong enough to obliterate the traces of the first on the reverse. Most ancient coins were struck more than once.
"Most ancient coins were struck more than once." Most ancient coins don't really look like the obverse on the coin in the OP.
So, you are indirectly saying my question should have been "why did he change the angle of the die completely on the 2nd strike?" Thanks for pointing it out.
D'oh! I didn't even realize that's what you meant! Sorry! :hug: He probably just wasn't paying attention. Imagine being a mint slave, hammering out millions of these things a day. Pretty mind-numbing work.
Do you know wether these slaves made the dies themself, or was there one die maker and several hammering slaves? And do you btw have a good link explaining the moneyers office in the Roman republic?
Hi Svein, Great to see you. Ard, I never knew that these coins were hit more than once? Thanks. I'm picturing the flan thrower and hammerer in the zone and pounding these coins out like crazy. When at the very moment that the flan thrower misses the mark the hitter who still has a coin stuck to the hammer die also misses the sweet spot. Hey I watched a guy a couple hours ago swing a three wood and catch the ball in his hand when he miss hit and it popped up 3 feet.:smile
The workers who actually struck the coins were likely slaves, the die-engravers could be either slaves or freedmen, although anyone could, in time, buy their freedom. This is a good start on the actual process of how the coins were made and how errors may have happened, some good experimental archaeology. http://www.archaeologystudent.com/coinarch/ This should help answer any questions about the moneyer's office: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Moneta.html
Thank you for good links. I dug out my "Coinage in the Roman world" by Burnett, and found more about the moneyers. Interesting office, which became a good starting point for a political career in the late republic. "Interesting", if you are a geek, that is. But I guess that applies to most members on this board, lol.
