Roman State Mints
The exergue is, generally, the mint
mark at the bottom of the (back side) of the coin. Though before the birth of
christ some coins already had an 'exergue' (mint mark) this only really started
in the 2nd century ad. Reason was simple enough. The by then enormous amount of
provincial (and official) mints were easier to control when the mint in question
incorporated a mark of origin. Maybe it was also an early weapon against copycats.
Mint Marks are composed as follows (until end of the 5th century ad) :
| 1st : |
(Sometimes)a P
(= Pecunia = money) or an SM (= Sacra Moneta = Imperial Money) |
| 2nd : |
One to four letters
representing the mint (See below : That's what this list is just all
about) |
| 3rd : |
A single letter
representing the workshop : Can be in Latin or Greek script. I.e. in
Latin
P,S, T, Q--
standing for Prima, Secunda, Tertia and Quarta. In Greek Alpha, Beta,
Gamma, Epsilon. In both cases this hen stands for the
1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th
etc officina. |
|
4th : |
Markings like dots, leafs, crescents, stars and others signs. These might
have been a makers mark, group marking, or referring to a production run. |
I have understood by now there
is agreement on the XXI sometimes also found in the exergue : It probably stands for the coin being
silvered to 1/20th of it's weight.
For a long time the romans did not quite understand the principles of deflation. In 200 ad emperor
Caracalla (or his moneyer) had a brilliant idea : keeping all the silver in the denarius was stupid,
no ? Why not give it a bronze core : who would notice ! (applause of senators available, gurgling of
those already killed). Benefits were obvious : more money to be made while less silver to be spent i.e.
more to be spent by the state. Result was ofcourse runaway inflation with then the government ofcourse
adding more bronze to the coin (replacing the silver). Resulting in even more inflation etc.
Then around 272 ad emperor Aurelian, or again maybe his moneyer, got fed up with inflation. They wanted
to give the citizens a sort of state guarantee to give the roman's their sense of financial security
back : the XXI sign (This seems not to have worked, though).
In the 5th century coins sometimes started had their mint mark on the obverse (front) of the coin
Though remember : on a lot of things in
coinland, school is still out it's true meaning.
.
| A |
Arelatum |
Arles |
France |
| AL |
Alexandria |
Alexandria |
Egypt |
| ALE |
Alexandria |
Alexandria |
Egypt |
| ALEX |
Alexandria |
Alexandria |
Egypt |
| AMB |
Ambianum |
Amiens |
France |
| AMBI |
Ambianum |
Amiens |
France |
| AN |
Antiochia |
Antioch |
Syria |
| ANT |
Antiochia |
Antioch |
Syria |
| ANTOB |
Antiochia |
Antioch |
Syria |
| AQ |
Aquileia |
Aquileia |
Italy |
| AQOB |
Aquileia |
Aquileia |
Italy |
| AQPS |
Aquileia |
Aquileia |
Italy |
| AQVI |
Aquileia |
Aquileia |
Italy |
| AQVIL |
Aquileia |
Aquileia |
Italy |
| AR |
Arelatum |
Arles |
France |
| ARL |
Arelatum |
Arles |
France |
| AVG |
Londinium |
London |
United
Kingdom |
| AVGOB |
Londinium |
London |
United
Kingdom |
| AVGPS |
Londinium |
London |
United
Kingdom |
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| BA |
Barcino |
Barcelona |
Spain |
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| C |
Camulodunum |
Colchester |
United
Kingdom |
| C |
Clausentum |
Bitterne |
United
Kingdom |
| C |
Constantinopolis |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
| CL |
Camulodunum |
Colchester |
United
Kingdom |
| CL |
Clausentum |
Bitterne |
United
Kingdom |
| CP |
Constantinopolis |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
| COM |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| COMOB |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| CON |
Arelatum/Constantina |
Arles |
France |
| CONST |
Arelatum/Constantina |
Arles |
France |
| CON |
Constantinopolis |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
| CONS |
Constantinopolis |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
| CONSP |
Constantinopolis |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
| CONOB |
Constantinopolis |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
| CVZ |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh, |
Turkey |
| CVZIC |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh, |
Turkey |
| CYZ |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh, |
Turkey |
| CYZICEN |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh, |
Turkey |
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| H |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
| HER |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
| HERAC |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
| HERACI |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
| HERACL |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
| HT |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
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| K
| Carthago |
near Tunis |
Tunisia |
| K |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh |
Turkey |
| KAR |
Carthago |
near Tunis |
Tunisia |
| KART |
Carthago |
near Tunis |
Tunisia |
| KON |
Arelatum/Constantina |
Arles |
France |
| KONSTAN |
Arelatum/Constantina |
Arles |
France |
| KV |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh |
Turkey |
| KVZ |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh |
Turkey |
| KY |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh |
Turkey |
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| L |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| LD |
Lugdunum |
Lyons |
France |
| LG |
Lugdunum |
Lyons |
France |
| LI |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| LN |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| LON |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| LVG |
Lugdunum |
Lyons |
France |
| LVGD |
Lugdunum |
Lyons |
France |
| LVGPS |
Lugdunum |
Lyons |
France |
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| MD |
Mediolanum |
Milan |
Italy |
| MDOB |
Mediolanum |
Milan |
Italy |
| MDPS |
Mediolanum |
Milan |
Italy |
| MED |
Mediolanum |
Milan |
Italy |
| ML |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| MLL |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| MLN |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| MN |
Nicomedia |
Izmit |
Turkey |
| MOST |
Ostia |
Ostia |
Rome |
| MSL |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
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| N |
Nicomedia |
Izmit |
Turkey |
| NIC |
Nicomedia |
Izmit |
Turkey |
| NICO |
Nicomedia |
Izmit |
Turkey |
| NIK |
Nicomedia |
Izmit |
Turkey |
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| OES |
Thessalonic |
Salonika |
Greece |
| OST |
Ostia |
Ostia |
Italy |
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| PLG |
Lugdunum |
Lyons |
France |
| PLN |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| PLON |
Londinium |
London |
United Kingdom |
| PK |
Carthago |
near Tunis |
Tunisia |
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| R |
Roma |
Rome |
Italy |
| RAV |
Ravenna |
Ravenna |
Italy |
| RM |
Roma |
Rome |
Italy |
| ROM |
Roma |
Rome |
Italy |
| ROMA |
Roma |
Rome |
Italy |
| ROMOB |
Roma |
Rome |
Italy |
| RV |
Ravenna |
Ravenna |
Italy |
| RVPS |
Ravenna |
Ravenna |
Italy |
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| S |
Siscia |
Sisak |
Croatia |
| SD |
Serdica |
Sophia |
Bulgaria |
| SER |
Serdica |
Sophia |
Bulgaria |
| SERD |
Serdica |
Sophia |
Bulgaria |
| SIR |
Sirmium |
near Mitrovica |
Kosovo |
| SIRM |
Sirmium |
near Mitrovica |
Kosovo |
| SIROB |
Sirmium |
near Mitrovica |
Kosovo |
| SIS |
Siscia |
Sisak |
Croatia |
| SISC |
Siscia |
Sisak |
Croatia |
| SISCPS |
Siscia |
Sisak |
Croatia |
| SM |
Sirmium |
near Mitrovica |
Kosovo |
| SMAL |
Alexandria |
Alexandria |
Egypt |
| SMAN |
Antiochia |
Antakiyah |
Syria |
| SMAQ |
Aquileia |
Aquileia |
Italy |
| SMBA |
Barcino |
Barcelona |
Spain |
| SMH |
Heraclea |
Eregli |
Turkey |
| SMK |
Cyzicus |
Kapu Dagh |
Turkey |
| SMN |
Nicomedia |
Izmit |
Turkey |
| SMR |
Roma |
Rome |
Italy |
| SMSD |
Serdica |
Sophia |
Bulgaria |
| SMTR |
Treveri |
Trier |
Germany |
| SMTS |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
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| T |
Ticinum |
Pavia |
Italy |
| TE |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| TES |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| TESOB |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| TH |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| THS |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| THES |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| THSOB |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
| TR |
Treveri |
Trier |
Germany |
| TRE |
Treveri |
Trier |
Germany |
| TROB |
Treveri |
Trier |
Germany |
| TRPS |
Treveri |
Trier |
Germany |
| TS |
Thessalonica |
Salonika |
Greece |
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Furthermore there were about 300 provincial
mints in cities around the empire. Some of which are listed here in Greek and
here in Latin.
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