Ancient British Hoards

Roman Republican Coinage, Tiberius Claudius Nero, Serrate Denarius, Rome, 79 BC, s c before draped bust of Diana, bow and quiver behind, rev. ti clavd ti f / a n in exergue below Victory in biga right, holding palm branch in left hand and wreath in right hand, control mark a lxxxiiii below, 3.65g/6h (Ghey 198, this coin; Craw. 383/1; BMCRR -; RSC Claudia 6). Banker’s mark to obverse, otherwise good fine £30-£40

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, British Iron Age Coins from the Helmingham Hoard.

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SF 717

Control mark A LXXXIIII is not a listed variety in BMCRR and currently is not listed on the CRRO.

The Roman Denarii within this hoard provide us with a rich tapestry of Roman history, art, mythology. After the economic crisis brought on by the Second Punic War, the Romans required a new silver coinage to stabilise their economy. The denomination they chose, the Denarius, remained the linchpin of the Roman economic system for more than 400 years.

Many of the Denarii within the Helmingham hoard carry on them contemporary countermarks, known today as Banker’s marks. Such marks appear on a wide range of republican issues, going right back to the earliest issues struck in 206-195 BC; their presence begins to fade away on Tiberius’ coinage. The great variety of these marks seen, ranging from simple lines and dots, to symbols and letters, even some monograms, adds weight to the view that banking in the Roman world was decentralised (Woytek 2012).