Silver 20 Asses Gorgoneion series II: sepia

Populonia, the only Etruscan city known to have struck its own coinage directly from locally smelted ore, drew its wealth from the iron deposits of Elba — a resource that also made the city a target during the conflicts that would eventually bring Roman dominance over Etruria. The sepia designation in this series refers to a specific die-linked group identified by Italo Vecchi, distinguishing it from related emissions within the broader Gorgoneion sequence rather than indicating any difference in metal or manufacture.

By the later end of the emission range, Populonia's political autonomy was effectively finished.