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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Alegandron, post: 2380658, member: 51347&quot;]Upon my return visiting my Grandkids, I received my Roman Republic Didrachm that I won.&nbsp; Double-Joy!&nbsp; Grandkids and Roman Republicans!</p><p><br /></p><p>This is the <b><i>first Silver coin struck by the Roman Republic</i></b>, as prior coinage was all bronze.&nbsp; This is considered &#039;pre-denarius&#039; coinage.&nbsp; This variety was struck before the First Punic War which started in 264 BCE.&nbsp; However, according to Sear, these Didrachmae were probably minted in connection with King Pyrrhus invading Italy in 280 BCE at the request of the Tarentines.&nbsp; I love it:&nbsp; Let&#039;s go to WAR, so we can make some cool coins to pay for it!</p><p><br /></p><p>Pre-denarius Silver Didrachmae and Drachmae were minted by Republican Rome in several varieties from 280 to 211 BCE.&nbsp; Later the Drachmae were known as Victoriatus.&nbsp; In 211 BCE, the Didrachmae was replaced by the Denarius which was a reduced AR weight.&nbsp; Personally, I believe the Romans started minting the Drachm and Didrachm denominations as they were trading as well as coming into conflict with the Greeks of Southern Italy and with the Greek States themselves.&nbsp; They already had a well established monetary system with the bronze Aes Graves / Rude / Formatum / Signatum / etc. as trade with the Central Italian Cities.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin intrigued me as it has the legend <b>&#039;ROMANO&#039;</b> (Of the Romans) that is legible on the reverse under the Horse Head.&nbsp; Every time I searched, this legend was worn off on other examples.&nbsp; Although I love my coins gently worn (so as to know they were actually transacted by Ancients), my capture criteria was to have this ROMANO legend feature reasonably visible.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]487929[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Roman Republic</b></p><p><b>Anonymous, 280-275 BCE </b></p><p>Didrachm (Silver, 20mm, 7.28 g 11)</p><p>Uncertain mint (Neapolis?)</p><p>OBV:&nbsp; Helmeted head of bearded Mars to left; oak spray to right</p><p><i>REV:&nbsp; </i>Horse’s head right, wearing bridle, on base inscribed ROMANO; to left, stalk of grain.</p><p>REF:&nbsp; Sear 22; Crawford 13/1; HN III 266. Sydenham 1</p><p>COMMENTS: Minor reverse corrosion.</p><p><i>From a Swiss collection, formed in the 1990s</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><span style="color: #ff0000"><b>Please feel free to post any of your pre-denarius or any cool early Roman Republic coins!</b></span></i>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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