Group of Fifty-Three [53] Roman Imperial AE Coins. 1st-4th century AD.

Uncertain mint. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust to right / PIETAS AVGG, Pietas standing facing, head to left, holding incense box and sprinkling incense over lighted and garlanded altar to left. For prototype: RIC IV 572 (Severus); BMCRE 62; RSC 150. 2.56gr, 20mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine. Traces of silver wash on both sides.

From a private Barnsley, UK, family collection.

'Limes Denarii' (misnomer) are more or less faithful bronze copies of silver Denarii, minted on the fringes of the empire out of necessity. Perhaps they may be officially sanctioned issues for use in regions where political unrest made it hazardous to ship large amounts of silver. These low value issues could have served troops on the front and been redeemable for good coinage when they returned to the stable regions. Were they a form of military scrip meant to keep large quantities of precious metal from falling into enemy hands in the event of a defeat?

Siscia mint; struck AD 320-321. 2nd officina. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laureate head to right / CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, VOT • V in three lines within laurel wreath; BSIS(star) below. RIC VII 163. 3.20gr, 19mm, 7h.

Near Extremely Fine.

From a private, UK, collection.

Local imitation. IMP C [...]ETTRICVS AVG, radiate bust to right / VICTO[...] AVG, Victory standing to left, holding wreath with right hand and palm with left. For prototype, cf. RIC V.2 141. 1.86gr, 18mm, 2h.

Near Very Fine. An imitating issue of a very rare variant.

From a London, UK, collection, 1990s.