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- SOLD: Roman Coin Ring
SOLD: Roman Coin Ring
Our Roman Coin Rings are all Hand made to highlight a specific Roman Coin.
We purchase these coins from Coin Dealers with excellent reputations.
Each coin is cleaned, polished and highlighted by hand, then set using a hand made setting. Each coin is very different in shape, due the original method of minting plus the years of use and storage, sometimes in the earth, so Philip needs to make each setting especially for each coin.
Each coin is then allocated a serial number to maintain the chain of provenance and engraved on the piece of Jewellery.
This Coin Ring shows the Bust of Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus.
Usually we show the reverse of the coin as each one was a political promise and so tells a story of the Roman Empire. This time we chose the Face as Maximus was one of the very rare Roman Caesar's to wear a beard, shown quite clearly in this bust.
Roman Coins were produced by placing a piece of hot metal (called a flan) of the correct weight (since this showed the value of the coin) between two dies, then striking the upper die with a hammer to produce the required image on both sides. The die itself was usually cast from a mold.
The bottom die (sometimes called "the anvil die") was usually countersunk in a log or other sturdy surface called a "pile". (This may be from where the term pile driver orginated). One of the minters the die for the top in his hand, (probably with tongs) while it was struck either by himself or an assistant with a "coining hammer". While this sounds like a slow process, the team developed a rhythm and could produce 30 or more coins per minute! Naturally perfection was not always achieved, giving us the lovely "imperfect" finish that we value.