Coins such as aureus, denarius, sestertius, and dupondius were utilized during the middle of the third century BC until the middle of the third century A.D. These coins are still used in territories influenced by Greek, though they already had their respective base coinage. Antoninianus or radiate is the replacement of the double denarius during the third century though it was then replaced by monetary reform of Diocletian which made denominations such as the argenteus and the follis. Roman coinage consisted mainly of the gold solidus and small bronze denominations after the reform.

Julius Caesar issued coins bearing his own portrait that changed the course of coins. Ancient Roman Coins adorned with the face of Caesar are the first Roman coinage to portray the portrait of a living individual in the coin. Imperators continued this tradition after the assassination of Caesar, though the traditional deities and personifications are still mounted on the coins. The emperor represented the state and its policies, thus coins adorned by their portraits became popular. Moneysayers determined the images and designed of the coins.

The portrait of the emperor is the emphasis of the imagery during the empire. These coins exhibit emperors that possess with characteristics normally seen in divinities, or focusing the special correspondence with a certain deity. Caesar released a variety of types that featured images of either Venus or Aeneas in an endeavor to be associated with divine ancestors. Commudos went to the extreme when he released coins exhibiting his bust clad in a lion-skin that resembled Hercules.

Portraits of an emperor was the most prosaic design found on the obverse of coins, though images of heirs, predecessors, and other family members, such as empresses, are also exhibited in the coins. Romans ascribe value to the images presented in the coins. Political messages were placed in the imagery and propaganda was attached to the designs of the coins during the civil war. This imperial iconography lasted till the end of the reign of Augustus.

Ancient Roman coins had intrinsic value compared to modern coins. This coin cost greater than its precious metal content, which set it apart among bullions. For instance the cost of denarius ranges from 1.6 to 2.85 times its metal content. This coin, double the size and weight of a silver dime, is the staple in the Roman economy.

The Provincial Mints

Provincial mints issued the majority of the coins made of bronze although some ancient Roman Provincial coins were also minted in silver denominations. Rome controlled the issue of silver coinage and in regions of the Eastern Empire silver coins were more popular.

This power allows the Roman government to organize and influence events in the provinces. The mint-right could be given and removed by the Empire to exert political pressure on cities and provinces. Imperial portraits were also sometimes omitted for those places regarded with certain favor. Newly established colonies were usually only given an authority to mint bronze coins.

During the Roman Imperial Era there were an estimated 600 provincial mints. Mints were concentrated in the Eastern part of the Empire, though they were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. Provincial cities such as Corinth or Antioch had mints within their perimeter. There were mints that solely issued the ancient Roman coins were only used for that city, while some mints issued coins for a larger province.

Coin Inscriptions

A Greek Language of the inscription determines if a coin is an Ancient Roman Provincial coin. Small depressions or dimples are found in the middle of the obverse and reverse side of these coins. The depressions are a sign of a poorly understood process of preparing the blanks for striking. Perhaps both trimming off flashings from the edges, and smoothing the surfaces.

Mints in places like Egypt and the Middle East cast the blanks in a way that makes them larger on one the reverse, than the obverse. A conical section or trapezoidal cross-section is distinguishably seen in these coins.

These are coins are much more different in style and larger or smaller than the standard Imperial denominations. Ancient Roman Provincial coins are devoid of the "S C" sign in their reverse side and the GreekObulos and Chalkous are the most notable denominations of bronze coins.

Some believed that particular ancient Roman Provincial coins were designed according to Roman denominations namely, AE and sestertius. These ancient Roman coins prove to be a rare collector’s item that conveys the rich history and culture of the past.

Earliest Denarious

The earliest Roman republic denarius was adorned with the bust of Roma on the obverse, and a deity driving a biga or quadriga on the reverse. These coins occasionally exhibited control marks such as small symbols, or monograms that were used to indicate who was responsible for a certain coin. Abbreviated forms of the moneyer’s name replaced the monograms and other symbols. Coins of Sextus Pompeius Fostulus portray images that display the family history of moneyers. The number of references multiplied and the depictions became the focus of the current interest.

Self-promoting Imagery

In the Roman Republic the Self-promoting imagery on coins was part of the fierce competition amongst the ruling class. The degree of competition amongst the upper class has been exhibited by Lex Gabinia, which introduced secret ballots in elections in order to lessen electoral corruption. The messages were designed for and by the elite and weren’t meant to influence the masses.

Valerius Flaccus Denarius

The Roman Republic Denarius released by L. Valerius Flaccus, 108 - 107 B.C., weighs 3.878g with a maximum diameter of 20.5mm. The obverse showed an image of a winged and draped bust of Victory, while the reverse displays Mars walking left holding a spear in right and a trophy in left.

Head of Roma

With the head of Roma facing right in a winged helmet in its obverse side, the Roman Republic, M. Porcius Laeca, 125 B.C. only weighed about 3.768g and had a maximum diameter of 18.3mm. Its reverse shows Libertas, holding rod and pileus, in galloping quadriga right.

This Roman Republic coin, L. Caecilius Metellus, 128 B.C., shows the head of Roma facing right in winged helmet, while Pax or Juno is in a biga facing right and an elephant head with bell at the neck below on the reverse. This coin weighs .788g, with a maximum diameter of 18.9mm.

7 and 8 Denarius

This ancient Roman Republic 7 and 8 denarius, Mn. Fonteius, 108 - 107 B.C., displays conjoined and laureate heads of Dioscuri on the obverse while the reverse has an image of a galley under oar on the obverse type. This coin weighs 3.880g, with a maximum diameter of 19.9mm.

There are countless designs of ancient Roman Republic coins available in the market today. These ancient Roman coins are a great investment, since its prices would surely soar in the next generation. Owning these coins is also a good way to treasure the history of the past civilization.

Antoninianus

This coin, valued at 2 denarii, was brought into play in the Roman Empire by Caracalla in 215. Initially launched as a silver coin, it was later lowered down to the bronze metallic appearance. The silver coin looked analogous to the denarius. The difference was it was larger and its characteristic trait was that it featured the emperor wearing a crown and hence was valued almost twice that of a denarius.

This Antoninianus played a role in increasing inflation as it was a fact that the actual silver usage was just 1.5 denarii. As the many emperors and rebels paid their soldiers with them, the antoninianus lost even more silver content with every new issue until nearly the entire coin was made of bronze. Shop owners to compensate for this lower silver content slowly raised their prices.

Denarius

Denarius was the most widely used coin in the Roman Empire and it was made up of silver, minted initially in 211 BC. For the first century its weight remained around 4 grams but later got degraded to 3.4 under the reign of Nero. Till the middle of the third century the predominance of Denarius prevailed but after the launch of the antoninianus this coin was discontinued. It was also observed that the last insurance of these coins were in the bronze metal shape and were found in 270 to 275 AD.

Initially with the weight of 4 grams it was supposed to net ten times the asses and hence it was named as “denaris.” Even after their discontinuation, the legacy of these coins continued and was used by Arabs in particular.

Sestertius

This coin was initially a small silver coin priced at one quarter of denarius. However in 23 BC during the reformation of Augustus the coin equaled to the domination of a huge brass coin. Initially they were manufactured at the mint of Rome but when Nero came to power, these coins were produced at the mint of Lyon. These brass coins weighed around 28 grams and had a diameter of 34 mm and were almost 4mm in thickness.

There was a notable difference between brass and bronze for the Romans. Brass was considered as double the value of bronze as the former one resembled gold like appearance and was termed “gold copper.” The last sestertius coins were considered to be minted during the Aurelian.

The Roman Emperor, Constantine I was also known as Constantine the great during his reign. He was the first Roman ruler who converted his religion to Christianity. Founder of Constantinople (earlier known as Byzantium), was proclaimed as a capital by him and it lasted as a capital of the kingdom for more than 1000 years, which was approximately till 1453. He was the one responsible for the unification of a wobbling empire and also the one involved in re-organizing the Roman state. At the end, Constantine the great also laid the stage for the victory of Christianity at the end of 4th century.

Bronze Constantine I coins were minted primarily during his reign. The AE- 3 (20 mm 3.89g) coins minted during his period had the image of his face facing right wearing a laurel wreath and a paludamentum fastened on the right shoulder, on the obverse side. On the reverse side he faces the left side and wears a shining crown with a small cloak secured at the shoulder and his right hand raised.

Constantine II (337AD to 340AD)

The eldest son of Constantine I, Constantine II, was raised as a Christian. In the western area he was known as Caesar. During his reign he ruled Hispania, Gaul and Britain. Initially he was the guardian of his younger brother Constants. Later on, when the former invaded Italy he was killed in the battle by his brothers.

The bronze AE-3 Constantine II coin (19mm 2.7g) have the bust of Constantine on the obverse facing the right side and the reverse side has the Roman Army camp gate with two turrets. This side usually depicts the strength of the Roman army against the invading Barbarians.

Constantine III (407AD to 411AD)

Constantine III was a regular soldier who came to power due to mutiny in the rule of Honorius. He was an ordinary Roman soldier born of low rank at Naissus in Dacia. He was also known as Flavius Constantius and after following a military career he soon proved himself to be a soldier of outstanding ability.

In the reign of Honorius, he became the foremost general of the Western division of the Empire, and achieved considerable success against both usurpers and barbarians. His authority was so great that he became the effective ruler of the Western provinces, and in 417 A.D. he married Galla Placidia, the half-sister of Honorius. On February 8th, 421, he was raised to the rank of Augustus, but the government at Constantinople refused to recognize the new emperor, and civil war was only averted by the premature death of Constantius, not more than seven months after his elevation.