How to Identify Ancient Roman Coins: A Beginner's Guide

Introduction

Ancient Roman coins are among the most accessible and rewarding collectibles in the world. Minted over more than five centuries — from the Roman Republic through the fall of the Western Empire in 476 AD — they survive in remarkable numbers and can often be purchased for less than the cost of a modern dinner. But for newcomers, identifying what you're holding can feel overwhelming. This guide will walk you through the essential steps.

Step 1: Understand the Two Sides of a Roman Coin

Every Roman coin has two faces:

• Obverse ("heads"): Almost always features a portrait — typically the reigning emperor, empress, or a member of the imperial family. The portrait faces right in most periods.
• Reverse ("tails"): Carries a symbolic image — a deity, personification, military trophy, or architectural scene — along with a legend (inscription) that communicates a political or religious message.

Step 2: Read the Legend (Inscription)

Roman coin legends are written in Latin and run around the edge of the coin. On the obverse, the legend typically gives the emperor's name and titles. Common abbreviations you'll encounter include:

• IMP — Imperator (commander, emperor)
• AVG — Augustus (the imperial title)
• CAES — Caesar
• TR P — Tribunicia Potestas (tribunician power, renewed annually — useful for dating)
• COS — Consul (held annually; the number tells you the year)
• PP — Pater Patriae (Father of the Fatherland)

Step 3: Identify the Emperor from the Portrait

Roman imperial portraiture is surprisingly distinctive. Some key emperors and their portrait characteristics:

• Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD): Youthful, idealized features; short hair with a distinctive fringe.
• Nero (54–68 AD): Increasingly heavy features over his reign; thick neck, prominent chin.
• Hadrian (117–138 AD): First emperor depicted with a full beard — a major stylistic shift.
• Antoninus Pius (138–161 AD): Long, curly beard; calm, dignified expression.
• Constantine I (306–337 AD): Clean-shaven again; strong jaw, upward-gazing eyes in later portraits.

Step 4: Identify the Coin Denomination

• Denarius: Silver coin, ~18–20mm; the workhorse of Roman commerce from the Republic through the 3rd century AD.
• Sestertius: Large brass coin, 28–35mm, often with beautifully detailed reverses. Issued mainly 1st–3rd century AD.
• As: Copper coin, smaller than the sestertius.
• Antoninianus: Double denarius introduced by Caracalla in 215 AD; identified by the radiate (spiked) crown on the emperor's portrait.
• Follis / AE3 / AE4: Late Roman bronze coins from the 3rd–5th centuries, often silvered.

Step 5: Roman Coin Mint Marks — A Complete Guide

Mint marks are one of the most powerful tools for identifying and dating Roman coins precisely. Understanding them transforms a vague attribution like "late Roman bronze" into a specific coin from a specific city, workshop, and even year.

When Did Mint Marks Appear?

Mint marks were not used consistently throughout Roman history. It was only during the monetary reforms of Diocletian (284–305 AD) that a standardised system became universal. From roughly 294 AD onward, virtually every Roman bronze and gold coin carries a mint mark.

Where to Find the Mint Mark

On late Roman coins, the mint mark is almost always in the exergue — the horizontal strip at the very bottom of the reverse, below the main design, separated by a line. Additional letters or symbols may appear in the fields (the open areas left and right of the central design) — these are typically officina (workshop) letters or control marks.

How to Read a Mint Mark

A complete late Roman mint mark has three components:

1. A prefix (sometimes): e.g. SM for Sacra Moneta (sacred mint)
2. The mint abbreviation: identifies the city
3. The officina letter or number: indicates which workshop within the mint struck the coin, using Latin letters (A, B, C), Latin numerals (I, II, III), or Greek numerals (A=1, B=2, Γ=3, Δ=4, E=5)

For example, SMANTE = SM (Sacra Moneta) + ANT (Antioch) + E (fifth officina).

Western Mints — Mint Mark List

Rome (R, ROM, ROMA)

• R, RP, RS, RT, RQ (officinae Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta)
• SMRP, SMRS, SMRT, SMRQ
• VRB ROM (Urbs Roma — city of Rome commemorative issues)

Aquileia (AQ, AQUIL)

• AQP, AQS, AQT, AQQ
• SMAQP, SMAQS, SMAQT, SMAQQ
• AQOB (gold issues)

Mediolanum / Milan (MD, MED)

• MDP, MDS, MDT, MDQ
• MDOB (gold — obryzum)
• MDPS, MDTS (later issues)

Ticinum / Pavia (TI, TIC)

• TT, PT, ST, QT, ET (officinae 1–5)
• TICIN (full spelling on some issues)
• Closed c. 326 AD — no marks after this date

Lugdunum / Lyon (LG, LVG)

• PLG, SLG, TLG (early officinae)
• PLGG, SLGG, TLGG (later doubled-G issues)
• RLGG, FLGG
• LVGOB (gold issues)

Arelate / Arles (AR, ARL → CONST)

• PARL, SARL, TARL, QARL
• PCON, SCON, TCON, QCON (after renaming to Constantina)
• CONST, CONSTAN (abbreviated full name)
• AROB, CONOB (gold issues)

Treveri / Trier (TR)

• PTR, STR, TTR, ATR, BTR
• PTRE, STRE (alternate spellings)
• TROB (gold issues)
• TR with Greek officina letters on some 4th-century issues

Londinium / London (LON)

• LON, PLON, MLON
• MLN, MSL (variant spellings)
• Active c. 286–325 AD only

Carthage (CAR, KART)

• KART, CAR
• PKT, SKT (officinae)
• Active intermittently c. 296–307 AD and briefly again c. 308 AD

Eastern Mints — Mint Mark List

Antiochia / Antioch (ANT, SMAN)

• SMANA, SMANB, SMANG (Γ=3), SMAND (Δ=4), SMANE (E=5), SMANF (ϛ=6)
• ANT, ANTOB (gold)
• Prefix variants: SMAN, XMAN (rare)

Constantinopolis / Constantinople (CON, CONS)

• CONSA, CONSB, CONSG (Γ), CONSD (Δ), CONSE, CONSF (ϛ)
• SMCON + officina letters
• CONOB (gold — the most common late Roman gold mark)
• Active from 330 AD onward only

Cyzicus (CYZ, SMK)

• SMKA, SMKB, SMKG (Γ), SMKD (Δ), SMKE, SMKF (ϛ)
• CYZ, CYZOB (gold)
• The K derives from Greek Kyzikos; some issues use MK or CMK

Heraclea (HER, HERAC, SMH)

• SMHA, SMHB, SMHG (Γ), SMHD (Δ), SMHE
• HER, HERAC, HERACL
• HEROB (gold issues)

Nicomedia (NIC, SMN)

• SMNA, SMNB, SMNG (Γ), SMND (Δ), SMNE, SMNF (ϛ)
• NIC, NICOB (gold)
• MN, MNB (early abbreviated forms under Diocletian)

Siscia / Sisak (SIS, SISC)

• ASIS, BSIS, GSIS (Γ), DSIS (Δ), EASIS, FBSIS (later complex marks)
• SISCP, SISCS, SISCT, SISCQ (Latin officinae, later period)
• SISC, SISCIA (full spelling on some issues)
• One of the most prolific mints — expect many mark variants

Sirmium (SIR, SIRM)

• ASIRM, BSIRM, GSIRM (Γ)
• SIR, SIRM, SIRMOB (gold)
• Active intermittently; closed and reopened several times

Thessalonica (TES, THES, SMT)

• SMTSA, SMTSB, SMTSG (Γ), SMTSD (Δ), SMTSE
• TES, THES, TESOB (gold)
• TS, TSA, TSB (abbreviated forms on some issues)

Alexandria (ALE, SMAL)

• SMALA, SMALB, SMALG (Γ), SMALD (Δ), SMALE
• ALE, ALEX, ALEOB (gold)
• Earlier Alexandrian coins (pre-Diocletian) use a local system — year dates expressed as regnal years using Greek letters (e.g. LΓ = year 3)

Control Marks and Field Symbols

In addition to the exergue mint mark, many coins carry symbols in the fields:

• Stars (✶): Often indicate a special or votive series
• Crescents: Associated with certain mints or officinae
• Palm branches: Symbols of victory, common on military issues
• Christograms (☧): The Chi-Rho, appearing from Constantine I onward
• Dots and pellets: Control marks distinguishing die pairs within a single officina

Key Notes for Collectors

• CONOB and OB suffixes always indicate gold (obryzum = refined gold) regardless of mint.
• Greek vs Latin officinae: Eastern mints almost universally used Greek letters; western mints used Latin. This helps you quickly orient a coin geographically.
• The RIC volumes (especially RIC VI–X for the late Empire) are the definitive source for every known mark variant.

Step 6: Use Reference Resources

• Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC): The definitive multi-volume scholarly catalogue.
• David Sear's Roman Coins and Their Values: An accessible, collector-friendly reference in five volumes.
• acsearch.info: A free online database of auction records — invaluable for comparing your coin to sold examples.
• Wildwinds.com: A free online reference with thousands of coin images organised by emperor and type.

Step 7: Assess Condition (Grade)

• Poor / Fair: Barely identifiable; type and emperor uncertain.
• Fine (F): Major details visible; legend partially readable.
• Very Fine (VF): Clear portrait and legend; some wear on high points.
• Extremely Fine (EF) / About Uncirculated (AU): Sharp detail; minimal wear.
• Mint State (MS): No wear; as struck. Rare for ancient coins.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Cleaning coins aggressively: Never scrub an ancient coin with abrasives. Improper cleaning destroys patina and value.
• Assuming every coin is rare: Many Roman types were struck in the millions. Rarity should be verified against references.
• Ignoring provenance: A documented collecting history adds authenticity and value. Always ask for provenance when buying.
• Buying without research: Learn the market before spending significant sums. Start with affordable examples to build your eye.

Start Your Collection with Confidence

Identifying ancient Roman coins is a skill that deepens with every coin you handle. The combination of history, art, and detective work makes it one of the most intellectually rewarding hobbies available. At Cerberus Ancient Coins and Antiquities, every coin we offer comes with a description and attribution — so you always know exactly what you're adding to your collection.

Browse our current inventory of authenticated ancient Roman coins, or get in touch if you'd like guidance on a specific type or period.