Mint Marks

Mintmarks on Roman coins began appearing in the third century (AD) and were included on almost all gold, silver and bronze coins in the fourth century. For the beginner the multitude of different mintmarks and officina can be confusing but for the most part they conform in their placement on the coins and can be quickly deciphered using the simple guide below. They normally consist of letters and numbers in Roman numerals and Greek symbols and are located on the reverse of the coin either at the bottom (in exergue), or to the left and right of the design (in field). When these coins were struck by hand human error sometimes pushed the detail off the coins sometimes leaving only the officina to tell us where the coins were struck. Additionally with worn coins it can be equally difficult to locate legible details to help us understand where and when these coins were made.