Identifying Roman silver coins
Denarii, antoniniani, and siliquae — and how to tell them apart.
The denarius (roughly 18–19 mm, 3–4 g) served Rome for over four centuries: an emperor's portrait on one face, a deity, personification, or family scene on the other. The antoninianus looks similar but the emperor wears a spiky radiate crown, and later issues are visibly debased — more bronze than silver, often with only a silvery wash surviving in protected recesses.
Read the legend clockwise from the portrait: it usually opens with IMP, the emperor's name, then titles like AVG or CAES. Even a partial legend narrows the ruler; the portrait style, beard fashion, and crown type narrow the century. A siliqua is thinner, lighter, and late (4th–5th century), frequently found clipped around the edge.
Weigh it, measure it, and photograph both faces with the legend legible before concluding anything. Cast fakes show file marks on the edge, a seam line, or a soapy softness in the lettering. Record what you can read letter by letter — an honest partial reading beats a guessed attribution.
More on coins
Identifying tokens and jettons