All ancient coins are hand made and each is unique. We mainly sell coins from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine cultures. These coins cover a period from 650 BC to 1450 AD.
This page is intended to give a basic introduction to ancient coins.
Each coin has it's own denomination, mint, and dimensions. Coins made from precious metals such as silver and gold were held to higher standards than their base metal
counterparts. The representations for the type of metal used to make the coin is as follows:
AV - Gold
EL - Electrum
AR - Silver
AE - Bronze or base metals
There are more metal types that coins were made in, but these are the common abbreviations. Listed below are typical denominations and weights of ancient coins.
Ancient coin standards
Greek Standards
Metal Type
Standard
Denomination
Weight (grams)
Electrum
Euboeic
Stater
17.2
Phokaic
Stater
16.1
Milesian
Stater
14.1
Silver
Attic
Tetradrachm
17.2
Corinthian
Stater/Tridrachm
8.6
Aeginetan
Stater/Didrachm
12.3
Achaean
Nomos/Didrachm
8.0
Rhodian
Tetradrachm
15.6
Phoenician
Shekel
7.0
Greek Denominations
Metal Type
Denomination
Equivalent
Weight (grams)
Silver
Dekadrachm
10 Drachms
43.0
Tetradrachm
4 Drachms
17.2
Didrachm
2 Drachms
8.6
Drachm
6 Obols
4.3
Tetrobol
4 Obols
2.85
Hemidrachm
3 Obols
2.15
Diobol
2 Obols
1.43
Trihemiobol
1.5 Obols
1.07
Obol
-
0.72
Tritartemorion
3/4 Obol
0.54
Hemiobol
1/2 Obol
0.36
Trihemitartemorion
3/8 Obol
0.27
Tetartemorion
1/4 Obol
0.18
Hemitartemorion
1/8 Obol
0.09
Roman Republic Denominations 3rd Century BC
Metal Type
Denomination
Equivalent
Silver
Quadrigatus
15 Asses
Denarius
10 Asses
Victoriatus
5 Asses
Sestertius
2.5 Asses
Bronze
Dupondius
2 Asses
As
-
Semis
1/2 As
Triens
1/3 As
Quadrans
1/4 As
Sextans
1/6 As
Uncia
1/12 As
Roman Republic Denominations Later
Metal Type
Denomination
Equivalent
Gold
Aureus
25 Denarii
Silver
Denarius
16 Asses
Quinarius
8 Asses
Sestertius
4 Asses
AE
Dupondius
2 Asses
As
-
Semis
1/2 As
Quadrans
1/4 As
Sextans
1/6 As
Roman Imperial Denominations to 294 AD
Metal Type
Denomination
Equivalent
Gold
Aureus
25 Denarii
Billon
Antoninianus
1.5 Denarii
Aurelianianus
1.5 Denarii
Silver
Denarius
-
Quinarius
1/2 Denarius
AE
Double Sestertius
1/2 Denarius
Sestertius
1/4 Denarius
Dupondius
1/8 Denarius
As
1/16 Denarius
Semis
1/32 Denarius
Quadrans
1/64 Denarius
Roman Imperial Denominations 294 AD to 324 AD
Metal Type
Denomination
Equivalent
Gold
Aureus
-
Silver
Argenteus
1/24 Aureus
Billon
Nummus
1/120 Aureus
AE
Radiate
1/300 Aureus
Denarius
1/600 Aureus
Roman Imperial Denominations 300 AD onward
Metal Type
Denomination
Equivalent
Gold
Solidus
-
Semissis
1/2 Solidus
Tremissis
1/3 Solidus
Silver
Miliarense
1/18 Solidus
Siliqua
1/24 Solidus
Half Siliqua
1/48 Solidus
Billon
Nummus
?
AE
AE 1
AE 2
AE 3
AE 4
Understanding the coin listings
Each coin has an individual listing that gives information about it.
Attica The exact mint where the coin was made, sometimes shows the ruler instead.
336 to 297 BC This is the year the coin was minted. Typically a range is given since exact years are not known, or the same coin was minted for several years.
AR Tetradrachm Material coin is made of followed by denomination.
Obvs: Head of Athena right, wearing crested helmet ornamented with three olive leaves and floral scroll. Inscription if any, followed by description of the obverse design.
Revs: AΘE in field to right, owl standing right. Olive twig and crescent to left, all within incuse square. Inscription if any, followed by description of the reverse design.
21mm, 17.1g Size of coin in milimeters followed by its weight in grams.
Svoronos PL XX Reference where the coin can be found in a book.
