Roman Silver Coins -- Silver/Billon Antoninianus

Description: A Brief History of the Antoninianus The Antoninianus was a Roman coin denomination introduced by Emperor Caracalla in 215 AD during the Crisis of the Third Century. It was initially intended to be a double denarius, carrying a value of two denarii. The coin featured the portrait of the emperor on one side and various allegorical or military-themed designs on the reverse. However, over time, the Antoninianus underwent significant changes. Its silver content gradually decreased due to debasement, reducing its intrinsic value. By the reign of Gallienus (253–268 AD), the Antoninianus had become a predominantly bronze coin with only a thin silver wash. This debasement was driven by economic pressures and the need to finance the empire's vast military expenses. Despite its declining silver content, the Antoninianus remained in circulation for several centuries, serving as a common medium of exchange in the Roman Empire. It eventually gave way to other coin types as the Roman monetary system evolved. Details of this Listing This lot of Antoniniani spans the entire timeline of the history of this denomination. It includes coins in a variety of conditions, some bordering on Very Fine, and all are at least largly legible. Because the coins in this lot were minted throughout the 3rd century, they also include a variety of rulers and nobles on the obverses of the coins, and they also have a varying level of silver purity. Some of the coins come from the 230's AD, during the reign of Gordian III, maintaining a relatively high silver content (relative to the denomination) of ~40%. Some were minted as late as 295 AD during the reign of Maximinianus, by which time the coin was a glorified bronze. Most of the coins in this lot come from between those dates, largely the 250's and 260's AD, when the coin maintained a silver purity of between 20% and 30%. Below is a list of all of the rulers and nobles that can be found on these coins (note: it was not uncommon in this time period for emperors to overlap chronologically, as there were often co-emperors or usurpers minting their own coins): Gordian III (238-244 AD)Trebonianus Gallus (251-253 AD)Valerian I (253-260 AD)Valerian II (256-258 AD)Gallienus (260-268 AD)Salonia (Wife of Gallienus)Claudius II Gothicus (268-270 AD)Aurelian (270-275 AD)Ulpia Severina (Wife of Aurelian)Probus (276-282 AD)Maximinianus (286-310 AD)Each coin sold will be randomly selected from the lot.

Price: 11.95 USD

Location: Marietta, Georgia

End Time: 2024-09-18T02:35:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD