These aren't my coins, although I do have a copy of each the 4 types. Just stealing photos due to laziness. I'm aware of 4 different types, not counting the gold and half sized variants of course, are there any other type? First type with indented "ROMA" on raised section, generally weight over 6.5g Raised "ROMA" in raised box, usually less than 6g. Different style obv. Similar to the one above (rev.) but with the obv. like that of the first type. These weight the same as first type, 6.5g or above. This seemed to be the rarest type, raised "ROMA" on raised platform. They weight between 6.3 and 6.6g. questions: 1. were there other types? 2. were they all struck at rome mint? 3. heavier = older? 4. were they produced and circulated with other types of silver coins? Such as victoriatus and half quadrigatus (chariot going left). 5. what was the reason for decline in quality control of roman silver coins? Majority of these quadrigatus seemed well struck and centered. Later republic denarius hardly the case. 6. was it Janus or Dioscuri on the obv.? Michael Crawford had suggested it was Dioscuri because the cleaner/younger faces, but Janus wasn't always depicted with a beard. This mysia diobol for example, or was this also Dioscuri?
Beautiful examples, whoever owns them, and I still lack even one, so I'll be looking to see what the others have to say about the varieties---especially since I'm in the 'hunt' for one to add to those other types of RR denarii I already have....
I have looked into getting (a crappy) one of these. As far as I know they are all Rome mint. You know more than me I didn't know there was a gold fractional. The usual convention for ancient coins is heavier = earlier, but I couldn't imagine a field with a greater number of exceptions.
