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Description: | Impression of the obverse of a coin of Tacitus (275-6) in lead.Obverse: [ ]ITVS AVG (retrograde); [ ], draped and cuirassed bust left (would have been right on the original coin). Note, the beard is clearly visible on the chin and neck. It is not possible to determine if the coin used for the impression was a base silver coin with a radiate crown or a gold aureus with a laureate crown.This is a most unusual piece. Because the piece is made of lead it cannot be a mould for making a forged coin in another metal. Nor is it likely to have been a mould for the production of clay pieces for use in the lost-wax method of casting. The most likely explanation is that the piece was used in the production of a cliche coin which involves:1. A normal coin is covered in two thin sheets of metal - normally silver or gold.2. The coin and its covering is hammered, normally between lead or leather so the impression of the coin goes through to the coverings of the coin. Two heavy scratches on the coin suggest that there was another piece of lead that was prised apart after striking.3. The coverings are then removed from the coin and joined together with a 'filler' in between to create a copy of the coin, but with much less precious metal content. This was a common process in the Mediaeval period, although we do have cliche coins from the ancient period - see FASA-FC2B63.4. In this case, it is not possible to determine if the coin is copied from a base silver radiate or a gold aureus - the headress is not visible. It would be radiate for a base silver coin and laureate for a gold aureus. One would expect the coin to be copied from a gold coin because the base silver coins were of low intrinsic value. However, FASA-FC2B63 is a cliche copy of a base radiate of Tetricus.The mould has been analysed by Duncan Hook in the Dept of Scientific Research at the British Museum and it shows that the mould is an alloy with predominantly lead in its composition.This is an excellent example of new finds being made by detectorists which shed more light on the production of contemporary copies of coins in the Roman period. Such items are not found in coin hoards and are extremely rare on excavation.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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