Posts Tagged ‘Roman Coins’
The coins which built Ancient Rome: yours for JUST £40 (+p&p)
Today you have the chance to secure an original coin from Ancient Rome for just £40 (+p&p).
Sought-after by collectors across the globe, these storied coins belong in everyone’s collection.
Read on to find out more about the myth which built Ancient Rome, the fateful tales of Roman Kings, and how you can secure a coin which could have passed through the hands of Emperors.
The Myth of Romulus and Remus
During a time shrouded in legend and myth, there lived two brothers named Romulus and Remus. Their story is at the heart of the founding of one of the greatest civilisations in history: Ancient Rome.
Romulus and Remus were born to a princess named Rhea Silvia and the god of war, Mars. Their grandfather feared their potential power and ordered them to be abandoned in the wilderness. But fate had other plans for the twins; they were discovered by a she-wolf, who raised them as her own.
As Romulus and Remus grew older, they learned of their royal lineage and the circumstances of their birth. Filled with a desire to reclaim their rightful place, they set out to establish their own city.
Legend has it that the brothers disagreed on where to build their city. Romulus favoured the Palatine Hill, while Remus preferred the Aventine Hill. To settle the dispute, they consulted the gods through a divine sign – birds flying overhead. The disagreement continued, so the brothers began to build separate cities.
But one fateful day, Remus decided to visit his brother Romulus, mocking the modest walls of Romulus’s budding city. In retaliation, Romulus killed his brother to defend his city’s honour. Undeterred by the tragic incident, Romulus continued with the construction of his city, eventually proclaiming himself as its rightful king in the year 753 BC.
Kings of Rome
As Rome grew, it became a thriving civilization, eventually evolving into a powerful empire that would shape the course of history for centuries to come.
All rulers after Romulus were elected by the senate, and there are seven legendary kings of Rome: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Martius, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus (Tarquin the Elder), Servius Tullius and Tarquinius Superbus, or Tarquin the Proud (534-510 B.C.).
However, there are other notable Kings such as Julianus who was killed when the Danube legions invaded Italy, and proclaimed their principal commander, Lucius Septimius Severus, emperor.
Genuine Coins from Ancient Rome for JUST £40 (+p&p)
The Westminster Collection are now offering a limited number of collectors the chance to secure a genuine coin from Ancient Rome in an exclusive lucky dip.
This guarantees you will receive a genuine Ancient Roman coin issued during the reign of a Roman king housed in a tamperproof capsule, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
And considering these sought-after ancient coins are being offered at such a competitive price, demand is expected to be high.
Click here to secure your original Ancient Roman coin before it’s too late >>
Hidden treasure – five fascinating discoveries…
I guess for any coin collector – certainly metal detectorists, the excitement of uncovering hidden treasures are what dreams are made of.
That was certainly the case for these five discoveries – from losing a hammer and finding a hoard of Roman coins, to uncovering sunken treasure in Israel. Each of these findings are incredible…
- The Hoxne Hoard
Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992.
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).
The Hoxne Hoard is the largest hoard of late 4th century Roman silver and gold ever discovered in the United Kingdom.
The hoard of treasure was discovered on November 16th, 1992. Farmer Peter Whatling, from the village of Horne in Suffolk, had lost his hammer in his field and had asked his friend, a retired gardener and amateur metal detectorist to help him look for it. While searching the field Lawes discovered silver spoons, gold jewellery and numerous gold and silver coins.
Upon alerting landowners and the local police, a team of archaeologists from the Suffolk Archaeological Unit carried out an emergency excavation of the site and discovered 14,865 Roman gold, silver and bronze coins from the late fourth and early fifth centuries along with approximately 200 items of silver tableware and gold jewellery.
The objects are now in the British Museum in London and are said to be worth around £3.1 million. As for the errant hammer? That’s now in the British Museum, too!
- The Staffordshire Hoard.
A selection of highlight pieces from the Staffordshire Hoard
In July, 2009, Terry Herbert was using his metal detector on a recently ploughed field in Staffordshire when he discovered the largest trove of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found.
Over 3,500 military items were discovered including weaponry items as well as several religious artifacts and decorative items. It is said that the hoard dates back to the 8th century and has influenced the way historians think about that period in English history.
Valued at approximately £3.3 million, it has since been purchased by the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.
- Caesarea Sunken Treasure
Nearly 2,000 gold coins were discovered off the coast of the ancient city of Caesarea, Israel. The gold coins are about 1,000 years old, and were minted by the Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled much of North Africa at the time.
Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority
In 2015 a group of Scuba divers were exploring the sea bed near the harbour of Caesarea National Park, Israel. They thought they had stumbled across a child’s toy when they found the first gold coin, but when they saw how many more there were and looked more closely at the engravings on them, they realised they had in fact discovered something a lot more significant.
Almost 2,000 coins were recovered, all of several different denominations and had been minted at different times. The earliest coin found in the treasure was a quarter dinar minted in Palermo, Sicily in the second half of the ninth century CE. Most of the coins though belong to the Fatimid caliphs Al-Ḥākim (996–1021 CE) and his son Al-Ẓāhir (1021–1036), and were minted in Egypt and North Africa.
The exact value of the coins today is still unknown.
- Harrogate Hoard
Coins and bullion from the Harrogate hoard. Discovered January 2007.
In January 2007, semi-retired businessman David Whelan and his son Andrew discovered the Harrogate hoard using metal detectors near the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire.
It was the largest Viking hoard discovered in Britain since 1840 and consists of 617 silver coins and 65 other items, including ornaments, ingots and precious metal – all of which was hidden in a gilt silver vessel lined with gold which was made in France or Germany around 900.
The coins date from the 10th Century and come from all over Anglo-Saxon England, as well as parts of Asia. Reports indicate that the coins bear Islamic, Christian, and pre-Christian Norse pagan symbols.
The independent Treasure Valuation Committee valued the hoard at £1,082,000. The hoard was purchased jointly by the York Museums Trust and the British Museum.
- The Frome Hoard
The Frome Hoard of 52,503 Roman coins.
In April 2010, metal detectorist Dave Crisp discovered 52,503 Roman coins near Frome in Somerset.
The coins were contained within a ceramic pot and date from AD 253 to 305. Most of the coins are made from debased silver of bronze and was the equivalent of four years of pay for a Roman legionary.
Weighing 350 pounds, the coins may have been buried as an offering for a good harvest or auspicious weather.
The hoard is one of the largest ever found in Britain, and is also important as it contains the largest group ever found of coins issued during the reign of Carausius, who ruled Britain independently from 286 to 293 and was the first Roman emperor to strike coins in Britain.
The hoard could fetch at least £250,000 today.
Have you ever discovered any hidden treasures? Let us know in the comments below…
If you’re interested…
You can now own your own treasure chest containing 1kg of mixed coins, medals and tokens from all around the world.
Each ‘mystery mix’ is completely different – who knows what you may find in yours…
The coins behind 6 of the greatest Roman Emperors
One of the first actions of any new Roman Emperor was to strike coins bearing their image. Distributed to the far corners of the empire, coins acted as propaganda and legitimised the rule of new emperor, whether they gained power through means fair or foul.
Each of the emperors of ancient Rome has a story. Some are remembered for being strong, some were crazy and some completely despised. I’ve put together a list of 6 of the most significant rulers in the history of ancient Rome alongside one of their coins…
Antoninus Pius
Lifetime: 86-161
Reign: 138-161
Antoninus Pius
Often referred to as the “calm before the storm”, Antonius Pius enjoyed a long reign. His reign was considered the last extended period of peace prior to his adopted son Marcus Aurelius, coming to power on the day of his death. Antonius Pius was considered modest, austere and well-educated and his reign was characterized by peace and economic recovery, he died a very popular man.
Septimius Severus
Lifetime: 146-211
Reign: 193-211
Septimius Severus
The founder of the Severus dynasty, Septimius Severus enjoyed an extensive education and spoke several languages. He was proclaimed emperor by his troops after the violent death of his predecessor and managed to rule unchallenged for 18 years. It is thought that the decline of the Roman Empire began with Severus. Following his death in Britain he was exalted to the level of a God by the Senate.
Caracalla
Lifetime: 188-217
Reign: 211-217
Caracalla
Caracalla succeeded as Roman Emperor following the death of his father Septimius Severus, however he had already been elevated to the position of co-ruler as early as the year 197. Caracalla and his brother Geta had initially reigned jointly, however Caracalla arranged for his brother and all his brothers followers to be murdered, assuming sole regency over the empire. It’s fair to say that Caracalla was not a popular ruler among Rome and while on a pilgrimage he was murdered in an ambush by his own soldiers ending his forceful reign.
Julia Domna
Lifetime: 170-217
Julia Domna
Julia Domna was the second wife of Septimius Severus and mother to two sons, Caracalla and Geta. She accompanied her husband on his campaigns in the east of the Empire and was very much respected, the indication being that her portrait featured on coins. However it wasn’t all plain sailing and she suffered greatly due to the strife between her two sons. She lived to witness Caracalla murder his brother Geta, the same year her husband died. Following her own death, she was also elevated to the rank of the Gods.
Elagabalus
Lifetime: 204-222
Reign: 218-222
Elagabalus
The reign of Elagabalus was scandalous to say the least. When his cousin Caracalla was murdered, his mother passed him off as Caracalla’s illegitimate son, winning the support of the nearby soldiers. His original name was Varius Avitus Bassianus but became generally known as Elagabalus because of his earlier role as a priest of the sun God of that name. Just like his predecessor, Elagabalus too suffered a violent death. He was slain by his own guards along with his mother and thrown into the Tiber when the false claims of his legitimacy came to light.
Alexander Severus
Lifetime: 208-235
Reign: 222-235
Alexander Severus
Alexander Severus was appointed Emperor at the tender age of 13 but the dominant ruler was actually his mother, Julia Mamaea. She saw to it that her son received a good education but deprived him of any powers. Gradually the lack of an emperor’s presence in the army dwindled and he too was faced with a violent demise. Eventually, Alexander and his mother were murdered by mutinous soldiers serving under Maximus Thrax, the self-proclaimed new emperor. With the death of both mother and son, the Severus dynasty ceased and the era of soldier-emperors commenced.
It’s hard to imagine living in a time as brutal as the stories behind these Emperors of ancient Rome. The golden age of Caesar, gladiators, legions and colossal structures.
If you’re interested… 
Now you have the chance to embark on a remarkable journey into the past with this collection of 6 historical silver coins. Nothing can bring to life history like coins from time gone by and with each coin, you can hold a living piece of ancient history in your hands.