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The Antoninianus |   |
The Antoninianus (Plural = Antoniniani)
The antoninianus was introduced by Caracalla in 214 AD, and was named after him, his official name being Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. It is believed to have been issued as a double denarius, although it was only 1.5 times the weight of a denarius. This has been a common method of backdoor devaluation thoughout history.
Nero had first debased the Roman coinage in about 62 AD, and mild inflation and debasement had continued gradually. The antoninianus, which had started as a silver coin, had its silver content reduced to that of a thin silver coating, and eventually even this pretence stopped, later coins being completely base metal, and smaller, during the reign of Gallienus from 253 to 268 AD.
The size, if not the silver content was restored under coinage reforms of Aurelian in about 272 AD.
By the middle of the third century, the antoninianus had driven the denarius out of circulation, although denarii continued to be issued up until the reign of Galerius in about 311 AD, and the antoninianus itself was only issued up to the reign of Maximianus in about 305 AD.
The distinguishing feature of the obverse type for the antoninianus is a radiate crown, on the head or bust of the emperors, or a large crescent below the portrait of empresses.
If you want to find the value of a coin you own, please take a look at our page I've Found An Old Coin, What's It Worth?
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