Identifying Roman Coins: A Comprehensive Guide

The American Numismatic Society (ANS) has launched a new interface for Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE), allowing anyone to browse Roman Imperial coins by image for free online. The OCRE project is a collaborative effort between the ANS and other institutions, including the Münzkabinetts in Berlin and Vienna, as well as the Fralin Museum at the University of Virginia.

The 'Identify a Coin' tool is one of the most comprehensive depictions of numismatic Imperial portraiture online. The ANS hopes that it will not only be a valuable resource for numismatists but also an art historical tool to trace the development of Roman portraiture from the Augustan period to the end of the Roman Empire.

The interface was created by Ithan Gruber, the ANS's Director of Data Science, and Disnarda Pinilla, the ANS's Curatorial Assistant, identified all the portraits used in the tool. Users can browse Roman Imperial coinage chronologically, first by dynasty, and then by personage within the dynasty, including empresses and children.

The portraits are listed in gold, silver, and bronze varieties, as well as worn examples that may be encountered with stray finds or excavation. The interface also allows users to filter results by portrait, material, and even legends, which includes the ability to enter all or part of a legend as well as marking illegible characters.

The 'Identify a Coin' tool is accessible on any device, from computers to tablets to smart phones. The OCRE project received $300,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in 2014 and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Roman coins or numismatics.

With this new interface, users can compare coins in their collections or those recovered from archaeological excavations against diagnostic specimens in OCRE. The ANS hopes that it will be a useful tool for non-specialists, hobbyists, collectors, archaeologists, and others to learn more about Roman Imperial coins.

In conclusion, the 'Identify a Coin' tool is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Roman coins or numismatics. With its comprehensive collection of portraits and ability to filter results by various criteria, it is a valuable tool for both beginners and experts alike.

Identifying roman coins