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Glossary
of Terms
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| AE |
Copper or bronze. Such as: AE-3, AE-4, etc. the size of the coin
with AE-1 being the largest.
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| AMIS |
A
goatskin cloak or shield.
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| ALLOY |
The
resulting solid solution of metals melted and proportions by weight.
Coinage metals are generally alloys whose proportions have been
specified by law.
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| AMPHORA |
Tall
earthenware jar for oil or wine.
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| Antoninanus |
A
Roman denomination silver coin equal to 2 denari, always with a
radiated crown. Name taken from Antoninus Caracalla (211 - 217 A.D.)
who introduced it. Later debased to a bronze coin with a silver
wash.
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| AR |
Symbol
for silver.
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| ARGENT |
Latin term for silver "argentum."
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| Argenteus |
Another
name for the denarius, revived by Diocletian and struck 96 to the
pound of silver.
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| AS
(AES) (ASSIS) |
A
copper coin from Rome. It was not a monetary unit, weight formed
the basis of all exchanges about 269 BC.
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| Assarius |
The
1/4th part of the follies. Introduced by Diocletian and corresponds
to the decanummion of the Byzantine Empire.
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| Aureus |
The
best known of the Roman gold coins. It succeeded the scripulum.
The regular coinage of the aurei began with Julius Ceasar. Orginally
struck at 42 to the Roman pound. Weight reduced gradually to 70
to a pound in the time of Gallienus 253 - 268 AD.
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| AURUM |
The
Latin generic term for money.
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| AV |
The
symbol for gold.
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| BARBARIAN
COINS |
A
general description for pieces from circa 400 B.C. to 300 A.D. in
imitation of Greek and Roman types.
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BI-LINGUAL COINS |
Inscriptions
with two different languages such as Greek and Hebrew.
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| BILLON |
Any
low grade alloy of silver and copper, generally with copper predominant.
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BILLON ASPRON TRACHY |
Reduced
from the gold hyperpyron to 1/48 around 1092 A.D. Further debased
to 1/48 around 1143 A.D.
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| BLAZON
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A
coat of arms, shield, emblem or banner.
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| BRASS |
The
term applied to Roman coins according to their size whether brass
or bronze. 1st brass-sestertius, 2nd brass-dupondius, 3rd brass-semis.
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| BRONZE |
An
alloy of 95 parts-copper, 4 parts-tin and 1 part zinc. A somewhat
similar mixture was employed by Greeks and Romans.
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| CADUCEUS |
A
herald's wand or staff.
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| CENTENIONALIS |
A
bronze coin slightly washed silver. The 1/100th part of the silver
siliqua.
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| CHALUS |
The
earliest Greek copper coin and the 1/8 part of the obol.
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| CHALICE |
A
goblet or vessel for wine.
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| Chlamys |
A
short military cloak worn over the cuirass and fastened with a buckle
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| Cistophorus |
A
silver coin valued at 3 denarii.
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| Conob |
The
mint mark of Constantinople
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| Cross
Potent |
A
cross standing center-full face.
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| Cuirass |
A
form of military armour.
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| Daric |
A
gold coin which is supposed to have obtained its name from the Persian
King Darius.
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| Debased
Coin |
Money
that is lowered in weight and character.
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| Decalitron |
The
Corinthian state from Pollix, was so called in Sicily because it
equaled 10 litrae of the native standard.
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| Decargyrus |
A
Roman silver coin ½ the value of the siliqua.
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| Denarius |
A
Roman silver coin first issued in 268 BC. The value constantly changed;
under Augustus 84 to the pound, under Sept. Severus 105 to the pound.
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| Device |
The
principal object represented on a coin.
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| Diaspora |
Jews
in exile from Jerusalem.
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Didrachm |
A silver coin of the value of 2 drachmai.
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| Diobol |
A
liver coin equal to 2 oboli.
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Drachm |
The
unit of silver coinage of Greece equal to 6 oboli.
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| Dupondius |
A
multiple of the Roman "AS" after the 1st reduction (sestertius).
Continued to be coined under the Roman emperors in brass. It was
distinguished by placing a radiate crown upon the emperor. Discontinued
under Trajan Decius and Trebonianus.
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| Electrum |
A
natural alloy of gold and silver emplyed by the Ionian Greeks. Found
in considerable quantities in the river Pactolus in Lydia. The electrum
of Asia Minor contained approximately 27% silver.
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| Electrum
Aspron Trachy |
Debased
from the gold hyperpyron to 1/3rd around 1092 AD. Further debased
in 1185 AD. Did not survive after 1204 AD.
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| Ethnarch |
A
ruler of an ethnic group in a province under Rome. Ethrog - A citron,
a fruit like a lemon.
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| Exergue |
The
lower segment, usually found on the reverse of a coin, and sometimes
separated by a horizontal bar.
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| F.D.C |
Fleur
de Coin, a French term which signifies the coin is in mint state
as struck at the mint.
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| Follis |
Copper
coin of Rome - 180th part of the solidus. Equal to 40 nummi of the
Byzantine.
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| Globus
Cruciger |
An
orb usually surmounted by a cross.
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| Hellenistic |
Of
Greek history, language, culture and ideals after Alexander the
Great.
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| Hemidrachm |
A
Greek silver coin equal to ½ of the drachm, also called a triobol.
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| Hemiobol |
A
Gree bronze coin equal to ½ an obol. Hemistater - The ½ of the stater.
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| Hemitetarte |
The
1/8th of the gold stater. Hever Hayehudim - "Community of the Jews."
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| Hexadrachm |
A
Greek silver coin equal to 6 drachmai.
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| Hexastater |
The
demonination of 6 staters, also known as the dodekadrachm.
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| Hyperpyron |
The
gold coin of Byzantium debased in 1092 AD from the stamenon nomisma.
The last gold hyperpyra were struck during the years 1347-53 AD
and the fineness had fallen to a mere 11 carats. The hyperpyron
then became a silver coin.
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| Incuse |
The
process by which the design or pattern is impressed into the surface
of a coin - as opposed to coins in relief.
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| Jugate |
Refers
to two or more heads or bust overlapping.
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| Labarum |
A
standard or banner.
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| Laureate |
A
head wearing laurel wreath; often refers to a victory of a triumphant
monarch.
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| League
Coinage |
The
general term used to designate such coins as were put forth by a
federation of states or cities in order to ensure a certain amount
of uniformity so far as weight and fineness were concerned.
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| Lebes |
A
ritual bowl used in pagan religious ceremonies.
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| Legend
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The
words used around the periphery of a coin for descriptive and identification
purposed.
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Lepton (Mite) |
Small
bronze coin. Originally the smallest practical weight applied to
gold and silver. The word "mite" was employed because the coin was
so small in size.
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| Litra |
The
bronze basis of Sicily corresponding to the Roman pound. The bronze
litra equals 12 oinkia. The silver litra was 1/10th of the Greek
stater.
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| Lituus |
An
Augur's (soothsayer) wand.
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| Loros |
A
defensive armour.
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| Lulav |
A
palm branch, myrtle and willow tied together.
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| Menorah |
A
seven-branched candelabra.
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| Miliarnese |
A
silver coin introduced by Constantine the Great with a value of
1/14th of a solidus. It was later raised in weight to 1/12th of
a solidus.
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| Mint
State |
Perfect
pristine condition as struck and released by the mint.
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| Mite |
An
expression used to indicate a very small unit of monetary value.
Often referred to as the "the widow's mite."
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| Modius |
A
bushel measure for wheat, corn, etc.
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| Nimbus
Cruciger |
A
halo with a cross.
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| Nomisma |
The
Greek generic term for money also the Greek name for the solidus.
The standard gold coin of the late Roman and Byzantine empires.
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| Nummus |
n
Latin, a generic form for money and the name applied to the chief
current coin. A copper coin of Byzantine.
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| Obol |
The
silver coin of Greece equal to 1/6th of the drachm. In Roman times
degenerated into a bronze coin.
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| Obverse |
The
front of "heads" side of a coin. The main device will usually be
a bust or a coat of arms.
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| Octadrachm |
A
multiple of 8 drachmai of Greece.
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| Pallium |
An
open vestment used as a cloak.
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| Patina |
An
oxidation produced by certain soils and moisture upon copper coins.
The oxidation takes the color according to the materials which have
affected the surface of the coins.
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Pecunia |
The
Latin word for money. In the 3rd Century it was used to define the
Roman copper money.
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| Pentanummium |
A
copper coin of the Byzantine equal to 5 nummi or 1/20th of the follies.
Planchet Flat disc onto which a design is stamped to make a coin.
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| Patera |
A
dish or bowl used by the Romans at their religious ceremonies.
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| Procurato |
Governo
or administrato sent by Rome to its outlying districts.
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| Quadrans |
The
Roman 4th part of the bronze "AS."
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| Quadriga |
A
four-horse chariot.
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| Quinarius |
A
Roman silver coin equal to ½ of the denarius. Also a Roman gold
coin equal to ½ the weight of the aureus.
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| Radiated |
The
wearing of a crown of golden rays. Relief - The raised portion of
the design on a coin.
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| Reverse |
The
back or "tails" side of a coin.
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| Rim |
The
thin line where border and edge meet.
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| Scripulum |
The
name given to the earliest Roman gold coin issued about 206 BC.
It was succeeded by the aureus.
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| Scyphate |
The
appearance of a shallow bowl (cup-shaped), by the use of a convex
and concave die. Used extensively by the Byzantine empire of the
11th and 12th centuries.
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| Semis |
The
½ of the Roman "AS" of a weight of 6 ounces of bronze.
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| Semissis |
The
½ of the gold solidus.
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| Sestertius |
A
bronze coin of Imperial Rome. It became the recognized money of
account and is frequently referred to as the "nummus."
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| Shekel |
Originally
a weight. Incorporated into a monetary system in Judaea. Its value
was fixed at 4 drachmai according to the standards of Tyre.
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| Siglo
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A
Persian silver coin equal to 1/20th of a gold daric. Another name
for the early Persian shekel.
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| Siliqua |
A
silver coin equal to 1/24th of a solidus. Simpulum - A libation
ladle used in Roman religious services.
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| Solidus |
The
standard gold coin of the late Roman empire starting in 312 AD in
the reign of Constantine.
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| Stater |
The
unit of gold and silver coinage of Greece. The silver stater varied
according to locality.
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| Tartaron |
A
term applied in late Roman times to a bronze coin.
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| Tetartemorion |
The
1/4th of the obol and 1/24th of the drachm in Greece.
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| Tetarteron |
The
1/4th of solidus, first coin minted by Nicephorus I, of Byzantium.
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| Tetradrachm |
A
silver coin representing the multiple of 4 drachmai, it became the
most widely circulated coin of the Greeks.
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| Tetrarch
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The
rule, subordinate prince or governor of a province under Rome.
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| Thymiaterion |
A
kind of incence burner used by the Romans in religious ceremonies.
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| Trachy |
The
scyphate electrum aspron trachy was replaced by a scyphate silver
trachy in the empire of Nicaea around 1208 AD
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| Unica |
A
bronze Roman coin equal to 1/12th of the "AS."
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| Variety |
A
major or minor variation in a design or tuype of coin caused intentionally
or by error.
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| Victoriatus |
A
silver coin equal to 3/4th of the denarius issued originally about
228 BC.
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| Zion |
Historically
regarded by Jews as a symbol of the center of Jewish national life
in Jerusalem.
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