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A dime, ~1400 years ago in the Roman empire

Regiomontanus

Regiomontanus

Eastern Orthodox
The latest addition to my collection.

Technically it is a 'decanummium' but that simply means a ten cent piece (hence the big X).

This coin (~600 AD) might buy you a half a loaf of bread. Bronze coins were used in the day to day life of your average working folk. Soldiers received bronze coins too but also silver - a metal the average bloke could only dream of.

Phocas (that is him and his wife on the obverse of the coin) was a usurper emperor of the eastern Roman empire (the west by this time was lost to the 'barbarians'). He caused a very destructive civil war. Heraclius would restore things, eventually.

en.m.wikipedia.org

Phocas - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org

Rome was a backwater town by then. The capital of the Roman empire was centered on Constantinople since the early 300s. Thanks Constantine!

BTW, every piece of ancient Greek literature that exists today is due to the preservation efforts (copyists, scribes) of the Romans. Their empire ended in 1453 when Mehmed II finally conquered Constantinople and was only able to so because of a new invention - the cannon - was able to break through the mighty walls around the city.


1723775150387.jpeg



1723775187350.jpeg


Bad photos, sorry.


History is fascinating!


Edit: that yellowish color is due to the fact that this bronze coin was buried in the (very dry) sands of Syria for 1000+ years :cool:
 
Last edited:
Twilight Hue

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Regiomontanus said:
The latest addition to my collection.

Technically it is a 'deca nummium' but that simply means a ten cent piece (hence the big X).

This coin (~600 AD) might buy you a half a loaf of bread. Bronze coins were used in the day to day life of your average working folk. Soldiers received bronze coins too but also silver - a metal the average bloke could only dream of.

Phocas (that is him and his wife on the obverse of the coin) was a usurper emperor of the eastern Roman empire (the west by this time was lost to the 'barbarians'). He caused a very destructive civil war. Heraclius would restore things, eventually.

en.m.wikipedia.org

Phocas - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org

Rome was a backwater town by then. The capital of the Roman empire was centered on Constantinople since the early 300s. Thanks Constantine!

BTW, every piece of ancient Greek literature that exists today is due to the preservation efforts (copyists, scribes) of the Romans. Their empire only ended in 1453 when Mehmed II finally conquered Constantinople only because of a new invention - the canon.


View attachment 95772


View attachment 95773

Bad photos, sorry.


History is fascinating!


Edit: that yellowish color is due to the fact that this bronze coin was buried in the (very dry) sands of Syria for 1000+ years :cool:
Click to expand...
It must be quite an experience to handle something actually made by people so long long long ago. Now long gone.

The coin you touched now was touched by them. It makes for a haunting connection I'll bet.
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Twilight Hue said:
It must be quite an experience to handle something actually made by people so long long long ago. Now long gone.

The coin you touched now was touched by them. It makes for a haunting connection I'll bet.
Click to expand...

A peice of my Roman collection is a pottery oil lamp dedicated to Diana. What makes it special is the maker left a thumb print on the handle before he fired it. You can still make out the impression if the swirls.
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Regiomontanus said:
The latest addition to my collection.

Technically it is a 'decanummium' but that simply means a ten cent piece (hence the big X).

This coin (~600 AD) might buy you a half a loaf of bread. Bronze coins were used in the day to day life of your average working folk. Soldiers received bronze coins too but also silver - a metal the average bloke could only dream of.

Phocas (that is him and his wife on the obverse of the coin) was a usurper emperor of the eastern Roman empire (the west by this time was lost to the 'barbarians'). He caused a very destructive civil war. Heraclius would restore things, eventually.

en.m.wikipedia.org

Phocas - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org

Rome was a backwater town by then. The capital of the Roman empire was centered on Constantinople since the early 300s. Thanks Constantine!

BTW, every piece of ancient Greek literature that exists today is due to the preservation efforts (copyists, scribes) of the Romans. Their empire ended in 1453 when Mehmed II finally conquered Constantinople and was only able to so because of a new invention - the cannon - was able to break through the mighty walls around the city.


View attachment 95772


View attachment 95773

Bad photos, sorry.


History is fascinating!


Edit: that yellowish color is due to the fact that this bronze coin was buried in the (very dry) sands of Syria for 1000+ years :cool:
Click to expand...
What an amazing coincidence!
You're a coin collector.
I'm a coin non-collector.

Anyway, your focus is more interesting than
modern coinage is. A friend collects ancient
ingots.....if that term is correct....which are
similar to coinage in some way. I don't
really understand it, but when he describes
it, it sounds fascinating.
Although it can't compare to collecting old scrap
iron, which I can power up for visitors to watch
in awe.

Now, to shamelessly make your thread all about me.....

This is one of my French engines I exhibit at a museum.
iu
 
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Jimmy

Jimmy

King Phenomenon
Regiomontanus said:
I won it in an online auction from a coin dealer I trust. This coin cost me just under $30. I collect deca and pentanummians, among other coins. Much variation even among the same coin type minted under the same emperor - the symbols around the X change. Some of these coins are very rare and expensive and I have several in fine condition.
Click to expand...
Cheaper than I thought
 
Eddi

Eddi

Pantheist Christian
Premium Member
Regiomontanus said:
I won it in an online auction from a coin dealer I trust. This coin cost me just under $30. I collect deca and pentanummians, among other coins. Much variation even among the same coin type minted under the same emperor - the symbols around the X change. Some of these coins are very rare and expensive and I have several in fine condition.
Click to expand...
Do you have pics of the rest of your collection?
 
Regiomontanus

Regiomontanus

Eastern Orthodox
Revoltingest said:
What an amazing coincidence!
You're a coin collector.
I'm a coin non-collector.

Anyway, your focus is more interesting than
modern coinage is. A friend collects ancient
ingots.....if that term is correct....which are
similar to coinage in some way. I don't
really understand it, but when he describes
it, it sounds fascinating.
Although it can't compare to collecting old scrap
iron, which I can power up for visitors to watch
in awe.

Now, to shamelessly make your thread all about me.....

This is one of my French engines I exhibit at a museum.
iu
Click to expand...

I love the way old engines look. Like a work of art.
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
King Phenomenon said:
Cheaper than I thought
Click to expand...
Sometimes rare things go un-noticed by collectors
who'd be interested. Could be they lack the expertise
to recognize what's offered. Other times they just
didn't see it. I've seen a few outrageous bargains
because the listing was poorly described.

As Louis Pasteur said (albeit in French)....
"Chance favors the prepared mind."
 
Regiomontanus

Regiomontanus

Eastern Orthodox
Eddi said:
I hope you'll share them at some point after you get home!
Click to expand...

Here is one I really like. The emperor Constantine (early 300s AD).

Bronze. A so-called 'campgate' coin (because of the design on the reverse side of the coin). These were printed to pay troops, mainly. This one was of the type that has a thin wash of silver, to add value, but it gets rubbed off rather easily (over time). On this coin there is still a bit of the silver layer left. It is worth ~250 US. The obverse side, the bust of the emperor, is in very fine condition - 1700 years old!




1723914385601.jpeg
 
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Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
Hey, all I have is a piece of eight from I don't know, maybe the 1500s or so.
 
Eddi

Eddi

Pantheist Christian
Premium Member
Regiomontanus said:
Here is one I really like. Son of Constanine (late 300s AD).

Bronze. A so-called 'campgate' coin (because of the design on the reverse side of the coin). These were printed to pay troops, mainly. This one was of the type that has a thin wash of silver, to add value, but it gets rubbed of rather easily (over time). On this coin there is still a bit of the silver layer left. This coin is worth ~250 US. The obverse side, the bust of the emperor, is in very fine condition - 1700 years old!




View attachment 95887
Click to expand...
That's beautiful

I have always liked ancient coins

I used to have some replicas
 
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