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1 Quinarius - Imitating Lucius Verus, 161-169, or Septimius Severus, 193-211
| Issuer | Uncertain Germanic tribes |
|---|---|
| Year | 250-325 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Highly stylized and degenerate imitation of a Roman reverse type, featuring abstract pseudo-legend composed of debased Latin-derived letterforms arranged in two lines across the field. The inscription has devolved into a series of geometric symbols and strokes no longer legible as meaningful Latin text, reflecting the gradual abstraction characteristic of Germanic imitative coinage. Beneath the pseudo-legend, a row of X-shaped and cross-shaped symbols is present, possibly a further corruption of a numeral or decorative motif. The design is enclosed within a beaded border consistent with the obverse treatment. |
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| Additional information |
Barbarous imitations of Roman gold circulated widely among Germanic groups who lacked minting infrastructure but understood the political and commercial utility of Roman coin forms. Whether the prototype here is Lucius Verus or Septimius Severus remains unresolved — a span of possibilities covering roughly half a century of Roman originals, which itself suggests the imitators were working from worn or secondhand exemplars rather than freshly circulating coins. The weight at 3.13g sits close enough to Roman quinarius standards to suggest deliberate calibration, though whether that precision reflects trade pressure or local convention is unknown.