I think most CT participants are aware of my special interest in Romano-Britannic coins because of my roots. Here are some Roman Imperial and latter day coins that depict Britannia on the reverse. Please post any other examples. RIC Vol. II, HADRIAN, Sestertius, No. 845 (Replica coin) Obverse: Hadrian, laureate head right Inscription: HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP Reverse: Britannia seated half left with feet on rocks holding sceptre with shield to right Inscription: BRITANNIA - SC (in exergue) I included this modern reproduction because I have been unable to find a presentable genuine coin of this iconic issue in my price range - despite years of searching. Purportedly this replica was cast from a specimen coin in the British Museum collection. RIC II, ANTONINUS PIUS, As, No. 934 Obverse: Antoninus Pius, laureate, draped, bust facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TRP XVIII Reverse: Britannia seated left on rock, shield and vexillum in background Inscription: BRITANNIA COS IIII - S C (exergue) RIC II, COMMODUS, Sestertius, No. 452 Obverse: Commodus, Laureate head facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: M COMMODVS ANTON AVG PIVS BRIT Reverse: Victory (Britannia?) seated right, writing on shield Inscription: S C (left and right) VICT BRIT (exergue) BRITISH HALF PENNY TOKEN (legal tender at Liverpool & Bristol) Obverse: portrait of Admiral Lord Howe (victor over French Fleet) Inscription: EARL HOWE & THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE Reverse: Britannia, seated left, holding spear with right hand and resting left arm on shield Inscription: RULE BRITANNIA - 1794 (in exergue) BRITISH TWO PENCE (Circulated) Obverse: George III, laureate and draped bust, facing right Inscription: GEORGIUS III D G REX Reverse: Britannia, seated left, on rock over ocean waves, cradling trident in left arm and holding olive branch in right hand Inscription: BRITANNIA - 1797 BRITISH PENNY (Circulated) Obverse: George V, bare headed, facing left Inscription: GEORGIVS V DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP Reverse: Britannia wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right, holding trident with left hand and supporting shield with right hand Inscription: ONE PENNY - 1929 (my birth year - in exergue)
edited Oups! Sorry. I didn’t realize this coin enters the category “political discussion”. It’s my bad...
Here is the one in the British Museum. It is one of the few coins in their collection that is on display at the Museum!
Super coins on Britannica, @jamesicus ! Great progression through Ancient, and then Modern histories. Were there any depicting Britannica after the Classical age and before the Modern era? I enjoy the history of Boudicca and the Iceni. I understand that later times associate Boudicca to Britannica. This was minted during the times that Boudicca went berserk on the Romans (rightfully so, to me.) Celtic Britain Iceni Boudicca 61 CE 1.03g Celt Hd r Celtic horse galloping Seaby 434 Scarce
Excellent coins @jamesicus ! I don't have any ancient coin depicting Britannia, but one celebrating victory over the britts Septimius Severus, Denarius - Rome mint AD 210 SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT, Laureate head of Sevrus right VICTORIAE BRIT, Victory facing, holding palm and attaching shield to palm tree 2.72 gr Ref : RCV #6384, Cohen #729 And some more modern stuff with Britannia on them Q
Nice coins! I have a Geta as with Britannica. Not a pretty one. Geta Æ As (210-212 A.D.) Rome Mint P SEPTIMIVS GETA PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder / VICTORIAE BRITTANICAE Victory seated left on shields, holding shield & palm, SC in ex. RIC 191b; Akerman Brit p. 68; Sear 7285 var. (bust type). (8.09 grams / 24 mm)
This old half penny was minted 1770-1775, a George III first issue type. Recently given to me by a friend, it was part of his late father's collection. I have hundreds of other coins with Britannia on them, and this one just seems different somehow.
Rather than being cast from the BM coin, this was pressed from modern dies made while referring to the BM coin. https://coinreplicas.com/product/hadrian-117-138-ad-ae-roman-imperial-sestertius/ "Made in USA" There are several companies in the business of making replica ancients which will fool no one with much exposure to the real thing but become a problem to us when people find them in "grandpa's things" and think we are cheating them when we tell them the coin is not genuine. Of the ones found online with a quick search, this is probably the best but it is aimed at the museum gift shop market rather than at members of Coin Talk. If you look at their other products, you may recognize coins we have been shown here by people who drop in hoping they have found a treasure.
The Hadrian Replica made me jump for a second, as we have been looking out for a minty Hadrian with seated Britannia for the last 10 years or more. We do have a earlier coin: Four horse chariot (quadriga) & "DEBRITANN" on reverse of silver didrachm (two drachms) with inscription "DEBRITANN". One of the earliest mentions of Britain or Britannia on Roman coins. "De Britann" Below Emperor Driving Quadriga on Reverse of Roman Silver Didrachm of Claudius. Of course, we would like to get hold of the similar gold Aureus, but it might be a long wait. We are also proud of this early seated Britannia: 154 to 155 AD Britannia on Reverse of Bronze "As" of Antoninus Pius The first mention on British coins was: 1672 Copper Farthing of Charles II Britannia Seated - Reverse although there was a halfpenny issued with the same date (I can't remember which of these two were issued first). We do in addition have numerous other photos of Britannia, mainly on British coins. Some are on one of our old "legacy" websites at https://24carat.co.uk/frame.php?url=britannia.html We stopped actively updating this site a few years ago, and are still in the process of porting many of our old information pages to our newer site chards.co.uk
Britannia in various depictions. With lion, above flowers, with sea high and low tide, with ship and or light house, most seated some standing.
