Summary

Copper Uncia issued by the Roman Republic, 269-266 BC
Cast in Rome

Physical Description

A cast copper coin (25 mm dia) featuring on the obverse a knuckle bone seen from top; the reverse depicts a knucklebone seen from bottom

Obverse Description

a knuckle bone seen from top

Reverse Description

a knucklebone seen from bottom

Edge Description

plain

Significance

The earliest copper coins of the denomination 'as' weighed one Roman pound (about 329 g.) and were produced by casting from about 280 BC. There were 12 Roman uncia in a Roman pound and 12 uncia coins to the as. This coin, of the denomination uncia, was produced when the weight of the as denomination had dropped to about 265 g., between 269 and 266 BC. Cast coins were not produced with exact weights but the average weight of a large sample would have been close to the desired standard.

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