Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Value of and Acceptability of Roman Provincials
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="kevin McGonigal, post: 8330207, member: 72790"]I was going over my collection recently and noticed something I had not thought of earlier. What I noticed was that if one pairs Roman Provincial coins and Roman Imperial coins of approximately the same time period with each other they often look so similar, at least to my eyes, that I started wondering if they were enough alike that they passed at par with the coins of the Imperial mints and if so would they have passed at par or at a discount if presented in the market place at other provincials cities or in the Latin speaking Western portion of the Empire. In the case of silver coins the value may have been different enough that one had to find the local money changer to make necessary changes but in the case of the bronze, the weights of the local coinage and that of the Imperial mints was so close, and the Imperial portraits on the coins so similar, that they may have passed at the Imperial value. I have pictured below some of the coins I think might have passed at par with Imperial issues in the Latin speaking West.</p><p><br /></p><p>I guess what I am looking for is information on how provincials were valued. Would an Eastern, Greek inscribed brass provincial of about the same weight as an Imperial issue be accepted in the West as the simulacrum of coins from an Imperial mint? Are there any literary or numismatic hints of this from ancient times? Anyone make any studies on this aspect of Provincial coinage, their value outside the city of issue? Do readers have any Provincial coins that are very similar in appearance and weight to the Imperial coinage and might have passed at par with them and if so could you post them?</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, for some of these coins. First I have paired (top, left) an As of Augustus with what is usually considered a provincial issue, one from a Spanish mint and legends in Latin. The weight of the Imperial As is 10.6 grams, and that of the Spanish mint is 10.8 grams. The second pairing (top, right) is that of sestertius sized coins of Caracalla with his father Septimius Severus. The bronze of Caracalla weighs 17.5 grams (mint of Serdica) and the Imperial of Septimius 23.8 grams. The third grouping (lower left is of three dupondius weight coins of Geta at 13.72 grams from (Nikoplis) Caracalla at 12.67 grams (from Stobi) and an Imperial dupondius of Commodus at 13.9 grams. Lastly are two silver coins, a denarius of Caracalla at 2.8 grams and a drachma from Caesarea (Cappadocia) of Septimius at 2.94 grams. So, what think you? You are a merchant at a stall in Rome and these Provincials are what your buyer wants to pay in. Do you accept them at all? At par? At a discount? Send him to the corner money changer? Of course the real question is what did the Romans do in such a situation.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1476525[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1476526[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="kevin McGonigal, post: 8330207, member: 72790"]I was going over my collection recently and noticed something I had not thought of earlier. What I noticed was that if one pairs Roman Provincial coins and Roman Imperial coins of approximately the same time period with each other they often look so similar, at least to my eyes, that I started wondering if they were enough alike that they passed at par with the coins of the Imperial mints and if so would they have passed at par or at a discount if presented in the market place at other provincials cities or in the Latin speaking Western portion of the Empire. In the case of silver coins the value may have been different enough that one had to find the local money changer to make necessary changes but in the case of the bronze, the weights of the local coinage and that of the Imperial mints was so close, and the Imperial portraits on the coins so similar, that they may have passed at the Imperial value. I have pictured below some of the coins I think might have passed at par with Imperial issues in the Latin speaking West. I guess what I am looking for is information on how provincials were valued. Would an Eastern, Greek inscribed brass provincial of about the same weight as an Imperial issue be accepted in the West as the simulacrum of coins from an Imperial mint? Are there any literary or numismatic hints of this from ancient times? Anyone make any studies on this aspect of Provincial coinage, their value outside the city of issue? Do readers have any Provincial coins that are very similar in appearance and weight to the Imperial coinage and might have passed at par with them and if so could you post them? Now, for some of these coins. First I have paired (top, left) an As of Augustus with what is usually considered a provincial issue, one from a Spanish mint and legends in Latin. The weight of the Imperial As is 10.6 grams, and that of the Spanish mint is 10.8 grams. The second pairing (top, right) is that of sestertius sized coins of Caracalla with his father Septimius Severus. The bronze of Caracalla weighs 17.5 grams (mint of Serdica) and the Imperial of Septimius 23.8 grams. The third grouping (lower left is of three dupondius weight coins of Geta at 13.72 grams from (Nikoplis) Caracalla at 12.67 grams (from Stobi) and an Imperial dupondius of Commodus at 13.9 grams. Lastly are two silver coins, a denarius of Caracalla at 2.8 grams and a drachma from Caesarea (Cappadocia) of Septimius at 2.94 grams. So, what think you? You are a merchant at a stall in Rome and these Provincials are what your buyer wants to pay in. Do you accept them at all? At par? At a discount? Send him to the corner money changer? Of course the real question is what did the Romans do in such a situation. [ATTACH=full]1476525[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1476526[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Value of and Acceptability of Roman Provincials
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...