Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dltsrq, post: 7987775, member: 75482&quot;]An answer can be found in a law of Constantius II preserved in the <i>Codex Theodosianus</i> (9.21.6) and dated &quot;the day before the Ides of February in the year of the consulship of Limenius and Catullinus&quot; (February 12, 349):</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;We have learned that some metal-casters (<i>flatularii</i>) purge the <i>maiorina</i>, criminally and frequently, by separating the silver from the bronze. If any person hereafter should be apprehended in this trickery, he shall know that he has committed a capital crime. Also those persons who furnish the use of houses and lands to counterfeiters must be punished by the delivery of their property to the imperial largesses. Of course, Our Clemency must be informed of the names of such persons.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>If I recall correctly, there were 3 denominations of the early FEL TEMP coins. Large coins with a right-facing bust contained about 10% silver (<i>maiorina</i>). Coins of similar size but with a left-facing bust contained about 5% silver (<i>half-maiorina</i>). The smaller &quot;phoenix&quot; type contained no silver (<i>centenionalis</i>?). Counterfeiters were apparently melting the official <i>maiorinae</i>, removing the silver, and reminting coins of the same type with false dies, using the remaining bronze alloy.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in