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Aes Formatum Acorn
| Issuer | |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 201 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Anepigraphic cast bronze piece in the naturalistic form of an acorn, with the smooth, rounded cup (cupule) occupying the upper portion and the elongated, slightly tapering nut body below. The surface displays a patina of dark olive-brown and verdigris green consistent with extended burial, with areas of iron-red oxidation visible on the cupule. No legend, device, or inscription is present on any surface. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Aes formatum — unworked or minimally shaped bronze lumps used as a medium of exchange before Rome's shift to struck coinage — exists in a range of organic forms, the acorn shape among the more deliberately formed. Whether these represented a proto-monetary convention or served as votive deposits remains genuinely contested. Several acorn-shaped examples have emerged from river and sanctuary contexts, suggesting ritual use ran parallel to any commercial function.
The two-century date range reflects honest uncertainty more than careless cataloging.