what does S C mean on a Roman coin?

New to ancients and been to embarrassed to ask such a stupid question. What does S C mean on a lot of Roman coins, why on some and not on others?
Thank you for your patience....old sopemaker

 

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Senatus Consulto, meaning its value had been decreed by the Senate. Almost exclusively used on bronze coinage.

 

THANK YOU, HAVE A BLESSED DAY! ROMAN COLLECTOR

 

Also, SC appears on the reverse of some Provincial bronzes with a separate meaning. Specifically Antioch, Seleucus and Pieria, referring to the name of the issuing city.

 

Not the city, the province - Syria Coele.

 

Like the big SC on this reverse?

 

Whoops! @John Anthony has corrected me...sorry for the misinformation folks.

 

It wasn't just Roman coins that had Senatus Consulto on them:

Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: INVICT-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N ATHAL-ARICVS, Athalaric, in military outfit, standing, holding spear and shield, S-C across fields, X in left field
Mint: Rome
Date: 526-534 AD
Ref: BMC 69, COI 85b



And also this Ostrogothic follis (not mine!) of King Theodahad (534-536 AD).

 

And, of course, it can be a big design element on Roman imperial issues!

 

Exactly.

 

Hi,
This is my first time on here. I was rummaging through my Dads boxes and ran across a Tupperware container full of coins. They are all in pretty bad shape. Most, unable to make any design or lettering out....heavily corroded. This one, I was able to make out “SC” on the back and plugged that into google and thus I ended up on your site. What is this coin? Is it worth anything? And what should I do with the heavily corroded ones?
Thank you,
Amber

 

Hi Amber. Your coin could be an ancient Roman coin of the 1st century B.C. to 1st century A.D. era, or it could date from 1st -3rd century A.D. Antioch. If you could post a photo we might be able to give you more help.

If possible, it is better to post separate photos of each coin rather than a group of coins together.

 

Wow, @John Anthony, I never knew that. Used to wonder if the Senate actually had more direct control over certain provinces ...or What?

 

Ok, Here is a picture of the front and the back. It was hard to get a halfway decent picture. Let me know what you think…
Thank you,
Amber

 

That is a rather unusual issue made for circulation in Antioch by the Rome mint under Trajan. The metal was yellow brass 'orichalcum' and they come in as and semis sizes. In the condition shown, your is not of any value. Usually they are considered 'Imperials' with Latin legends and I would suspect that this situation would be a Senatus Consulto use but I certainly could be wrong on that. They vary quite a bit in weight.
https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=39400
as 7g (light but still an as).

semis 4.3g.

 

The words can apply to any decree by the Senate, not just coins.

 

I have read about SC that some authors (Kraft) are of the opinion that S C on Roman Imperial Aes does not invariably mean struck by decree of the Senate, but more precisely “Honor in the form of the Corona Civica bestowed on the Emperor by decree of the Senate".

 

@cmezner and @manny9655, --independently of whether either of you needed this-- this is sounding reducible to a matter of semantic, more than historical context.

 

In my opinion, it isn't a matter of semantics; it seems to refer to those issues were SC is surrounded by the Corona Civica, like the OP, where it is not about a value decreed by the Senate, but to an honor