Roman Coin Denominations

Rome used a complex multi-metal currency system that evolved continuously over eight centuries. The coins below are grouped by the monetary system they belonged to, from the classical Imperial coinage through to Constantine's late Roman reforms.

Republican PrecursorsClassical Imperial SystemCrisis & TransitionLate Roman System

27 BC - c. AD 270

The multi-metal system established by Augustus and used for three centuries. This is the coinage most collectors encounter. Gold, silver, brass, and copper coins circulated together with fixed exchange rates.

1 Aureus = 25 Denarii = 50 Quinarii = 100 Sestertii = 200 Dupondii = 400 Asses = 800 Semisses = 1,600 Quadrantes

Bar width is logarithmic. The true value difference is far larger than it appears.

Aureus

400 asses

Denarius

16 asses

Quinarius

8 asses

Sestertius

4 asses

Dupondius

2 asses

As

1 as (base)

Semis

1/2 as

Quadrans

1/4 as

	Denomination	Metal	Typical weight	Era
	Aureus4,231 coins	AV - Gold	~7.8g · ~99% pure	27 BC - AD 312
	Denarius7,458 coins	AR - Silver	~3.4g · ~90% pure	211 BC - AD 244
	Quinarius141 coins	AR - Silver	~1.6g · ~90% pure	211 BC - AD 300
	Sestertius5,228 coins	AE - Bronze / Brass	~26g	23 BC - AD 268
	Dupondius2,508 coins	AE - Bronze / Brass	~12.5g	23 BC - AD 268
	As3,300 coins	AE - Bronze / Brass	~10.5g	280 BC - AD 268
	Semis357 coins	AE - Bronze / Brass	~5g	280 BC - AD 130
	Quadrans415 coins	AE - Bronze / Brass	~2.5g	280 BC - AD 200

Weight and purity data sourced from RIC (Mattingly & Sydenham), Crawford Roman Republican Coinage, and Butcher & Ponting The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage.