Tokens of Roman Egypt

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ardatirion, Jun 10, 2010.

  1. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    As many of you probably know, my collecting is primarily focused on Roman lead tokens, also known as tesserae. The other day, I added twelve new pieces to my collection, all from Roman Egypt.

    Scholars alternately suggest two functions for the tesserae in Egypt. Rostovtsev (1900) and Mitchiner (1984) are of the opinion that they served as tax reciepts. However, it is unlikely that, with ostraka and papyri already serving as receipts for a much lower cost, many lead receipts would have been used. Milne (1900, 1908, 1930) puts forth a much more logical argument; the tokens functioned as a low-denomination currency.

    With the declining value of the primary denomination, the tetradrachm, the cost of producing the lower denomination bronze coinages would have increased. At this point, the mint officials would have had to somehow reduce costs. A solution was found by relinquishing the authority to produce the lower denomination coins to individual towns, who were then able to produce their own coinage in lead and glass. Presumably, this process would have begun sometime during the Severan dynasty, when bronze drachms ceased to be produced. A terminal date can be established by examining the official issues of tetradrachms: once they had been sufficiently reduced in value, likely around the time of Diocletian, even lead tokens would be too expensive to produce.

    [​IMG]
    PB tessera of Egypt, Memphis
    24.6mm; 5.767g
    Nilus seated l. on hippopotamus, himation around legs; reed in r. hand, cornucopia in l.; Euthenia standing r. before, wearing chiton and billowing peplos, crowning him with wreath
    MEMΦIC
    Isis-Hekate standing facing, triple face crowned with disk and horns, wearing long chiton and peplos, uraeus in r. hand, l. arm around neck of Apis bull standing l. with disk between horns; small figure behind her raising hands
    Milne 5279 var.; Köln 3501 (same dies)

    [​IMG]
    PB tessera of Egypt, Oxyrhynchus
    24.8mm; 9.310g
    Athena standing l. within distyle temple, wearing helmet, long chiton, and diplois; with Nike holding wreath in r. hand, long scepter in l.

    Nike flying l., wreath extended in r. hand, palm frond vertical in l., all within thick linear border
    Milne 5312; Köln 3534 (same dies)

    [​IMG]
    PB tessera of Egypt, Antinoopolis
    23mm, 5.205g
    Draped bust of Antinoos r., wearing hem-hem crown of Harpokrates, crescent before
    Nike advancing l., wearing chiton, wreath extended in r. hand, palm over shoulder in l., uncertain date in field
    Milne -; Cf. Köln 3567; 3582

    A rare portrait of Antinoos, Emperor Hadrian's friend and lover.


    I also have more tokens from Oxyrhynchus and a some from Koptos, Ptolemais, Aphroditopolis, and Herakleopolis. For more, feel free to visit the gallery in my signature.
     
    dlhill132, Ryro, Pishpash and 4 others like this.
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  3. acanthite

    acanthite ALIIS DIVES

    Interesting pieces Ardatirion. Handful of those would have been a bit heavy.

    So similar to Hard Times and Condor tokens? Except that in the modern cases, the same materials were used rather than cheaper substitutes.
     
  4. tmoneyeagles

    tmoneyeagles Indian Buffalo Gatherer

    You lost me a little bit here buddy. :D lol
    I do like the first one you posted.
    I guess these will take a while to learn about...
    What made you want to center your collection around these Roman Lead Tokens? And what are the other pieces you added other than these?
     
  5. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    Very similar, in fact. However, I would argue that these were mostly issued by the towns themselves.
     
  6. acanthite

    acanthite ALIIS DIVES

    I was going to say that for the modern version, individuals and corporations with the means would be able to fund the making of tokens. But when you say 'towns', what specific entity would take the financial and logistical burden of producing these?
     
  7. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Thanks for posting these, was hoping you would :)
     
  8. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    Probably the local official in charge of the market. To draw parallels, there is a token in Ephesos with the legend, MENI/ΠΠOΥA/ΓOPAN/OMOY, Menippos Agoronomos. An agoronomos was an elected official in charge of the marketplace whose main duties included setting prices, controlling the money supply, controlling the grain supply, and certifying weights.
     
  9. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    I fell in love with tesserae because of their mystery. Only a fraction of the tokens have been published anywhere, and some of the most recent catalogs are over century old. I also just completed my senior thesis on these, where I made some interesting new observations (such as the one posted above!). I hope to publish it eventually.

    The other pieces Egyptian pieces you can see in my gallery. Other than that, I also recently added three tokens showing the Three Graces, two from Rome and one from Ephesos.

    [​IMG]
    PB Roman Tessera
    19mm, 2.74g
    Three nymphs
    DVR SVC
    Cf. Rostowzew 359

    Ex Mark Staal Three Graces Collection; Ex DIVUS Numismatics (May 2007)

    [​IMG]
    PB Roman Tessera of Ephesus
    20mm, 3.3g
    Three Graces
    blank reverse

    Ex Mark Staal Three Graces Collection; found near Ephesus
     
  10. tmoneyeagles

    tmoneyeagles Indian Buffalo Gatherer

    Once you get big n' famous for that there thesis of yours you better not forget about me :D
    Good luck with it, maybe one day I'll wake up and know it all. lol
    I do have to say, that you might be able to solve the mysteries behind the coins and lemme tell ya, it would be cool if ya dude.

    And btw, did somebody take a bite out of that last one? lol
     
  11. acanthite

    acanthite ALIIS DIVES

    Setting prices, controlling food supply, and producing coinage, that's a powerful combination.

    Thanks for the detailed information.
     
  12. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    just like gold, gotta make sure its real
     
  13. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    You should look so good after being in the ground for almost 2000 years. :D

    But seriously, that's corrosion. The more extreme cases (like this) are caused by chemicals sprayed on fields, pesticides and fertilizers.
     
  14. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I believe it is fair to say that more damage has been done to buried coins in the last 100 years as was done in the preceding 2000. As we export our chemical based culture enabling the land in the third world to support larger populations we are rotting anything metal buried in soils previously fertilized only by organic means. I'm sure some are offended by this but it is just another part of our changing world.
     
  15. acanthite

    acanthite ALIIS DIVES

    This is OT, but dougsmit that is my favorite Sassanian coin in your avatar. Varhran II and the queen, facing the prince.
     
  16. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Interesting thread here just pointed out by @TIF - deserves a reading by those interested in the coinage of Roman Egypt and the function of lead tesserae in the monetary system.
     
    TIF likes this.
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