Roman Coin Identification Guide: How to Identify, Date, and Value Ancient Roman Coins

Learn how to identify Roman coins in a collector-friendly way. From inscriptions and portraits to mint marks and value, this guide mixes practical tips with real collecting experiences.

Introduction: Holding Rome in Your Hand

There’s a moment every collector remembers—the first time you hold a Roman coin. It’s small, often worn, sometimes chipped, but heavy with history. I still remember buying my first denarius at a little antiques market. The seller slid it into my palm, and for a second it felt like I was shaking hands with the ancient world.

But here’s the truth: Roman coins can be overwhelming when you’re new. Strange abbreviations, unfamiliar faces, symbols that don’t make sense… I once sat staring at a bronze coin for an hour, trying to figure out if the letters meant anything at all. (Spoiler: they did—just not in the order I expected!)

This guide won’t drown you in jargon. Instead, think of it as a fellow collector showing you the ropes—what to look for, what to ignore, and how to start telling the stories behind these little discs of history.

The Coins You’ll Meet First

Rome produced countless coin types over centuries, but most beginners run into a familiar cast:

• Denarius (silver): The backbone of the Roman economy. You’ll see these everywhere.

• Sestertius (bronze): Big, heavy, and satisfying to hold. They make you feel like you’ve got a real chunk of history in your hand.

• Aureus (gold): Rare, gleaming, and usually locked behind high auction prices. Owning one is a dream many collectors chase for years.

• Antoninianus: A “double denarius” that gradually lost its silver. You can almost watch the empire’s decline in its changing metal.

• Follis: Common in the later empire, often with that odd silver wash that rubs away with time.

When I got my first sestertius, I couldn’t stop flipping it in the light. The portrait was worn, sure, but the size and weight made it feel like a coin that mattered. That’s part of the fun: each type has a personality.

👉 Related: Main Types of Roman Coins

Cracking the Latin Code

At first, inscriptions look like alphabet soup. But trust me—the letters are the key. Once you get the hang of them, it feels like decoding a secret message.

Take this legend: IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG. It translates to Imperator Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus. That’s Emperor Trajan introducing himself right on the coin.

The titles add even more flavor:

• PONT MAX = Pontifex Maximus (chief priest)

• TR P = Tribunician Power, renewed each year, perfect for dating coins

• COS III = Consul for the third time

The first time I worked one out on my own, it was a Marcus Aurelius denarius. The letters “P P” at the end puzzled me—then I learned it meant Pater Patriae, father of the country. Suddenly the coin wasn’t just an object. It was Marcus himself, declaring his honor.

👉 See also: Roman Coin Symbols and What They Mean

Portraits and Stories on the Reverse

The obverse usually shows the emperor (or empress), and portraits change as Rome changes. Early coins feel classical and idealized, while later emperors look tougher, more military, sometimes almost crude.

The reverse, though—that’s where the Romans told stories. You’ll see gods like Jupiter or Venus, soldiers raising trophies, temples, or even city personifications. One of my favorites is a coin of Trajan showing the goddess Victory standing on a globe. Imagine the message: Rome rules the world.

I like to think of the obverse as the emperor’s handshake, and the reverse as his speech.

Mint Marks: Small Letters, Big Difference

By the 3rd century, mint marks became common, and they’re easy to overlook. I once had a coin I thought was struck in Rome—until another collector spotted “SMTS” in tiny letters at the bottom. Thessalonica, not Rome!

Some examples:

• ROMA = Rome mint

• ANT = Antioch

• SMH = Heraclea (Sacra Moneta Heraclea)

It’s incredible how two or three tiny letters can shift the whole story of a coin.

How Collectors Date Coins

Dating Roman coins is a mix of detective work and delight. You’ll often find clues right in the inscriptions.

For example:

• A coin that says TR P II means the emperor held tribunician power for the second time—so you know the year.

• Some reverses celebrate victories or anniversaries, like a coin of Septimius Severus marking his decennalia (10 years on the throne).

• Mint marks narrow things further, since not all mints worked at the same time.

I’ll never forget the thrill of realizing one of my Constantine bronzes was struck in 327 CE. Not “around the 4th century,” not “roughly Constantinian”—an actual year. That’s the power of Roman coin dating.

Value: What Makes One Coin Worth More?

Every new collector asks the same thing: “What’s it worth?”

The answer depends on four things:

1. Rarity: A coin from Pertinax (who ruled just 87 days) is far scarcer than one from Constantine.

2. Historical weight: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Brutus—big names mean big prices.

3. Condition: Details matter. A sharp strike with natural patina can multiply value.

4. Metal: Let’s be honest—gold is gold. Aurei and solidi command serious money.

But don’t get discouraged. Many Roman coins are affordable. A common Trajan denarius might cost less than dinner for two, while the rarest aurei can reach six figures.

👉 Explore: Roman Coin Values Guide

Tips I Wish I Knew When Starting

• Start simple. Don’t chase rare emperors right away. Trajan, Hadrian, Constantine—coins of these rulers are plentiful and great learning tools.

• Read legends out loud. It’s amazing how much easier abbreviations stick when you actually say them.

• Buy from people you trust. Fakes are everywhere online. Reputable dealers or established auctions are worth it.

• Keep a journal. I’ve catalogued every coin I’ve owned. Looking back, it’s a story of my own collecting journey.

Closing Thoughts: Coins as Time Travelers

Roman coins aren’t just currency. They’re voices from the past. Each one whispers: “I was there. I passed through Roman hands. I bought bread, paid soldiers, crossed seas.”

What makes this hobby magical is that we get to pick up those whispers and make sense of them. Sometimes it’s easy—you see a clear portrait of Hadrian, and there’s no doubt. Other times it’s tricky—you’re squinting at half-erased letters. But when it clicks, when you realize you’ve just identified a coin struck 1,800 years ago, the feeling is hard to beat.

That’s the joy of Roman coin collecting: you’re not just holding history. You’re decoding it, one coin at a time.