Starting around the middle of the 3rd century
A.D., Roman mints began incorporating mint marks as a way to control actions of
mint officials. In addition to the mint, the officina (or workshop) within
the mint is often identified. If a problem was found on a particular
series of coins (underweight for example), the coins could be traced to the
offending mint and the officials held liable.
Mint marks are located on the reverse of the coin at the bottom in an area known as the 'exergue'. The exergue
is visually set off from the rest of the reverse design by a line. In some
cases, part of the mint mark (such as the officina or workshop) may be found in
the body of the reverse design or even on the obverse field.
A mint mark was (in most cases) formed from three or four elements:
1. A letter P (Pecunia,
Latin for money), M (Moneta) or SM (Sacra Moneta).
Often these letters are omitted. In some mintmarks the abbreviated mint
name is followed by PS (Pecunia Sacra). Mintmarks on gold coins often end with the letters OB (obryzium - refined or pure gold).
2. Mint city abbreviation (usually one to four letters, but up to seven).
3. Officina identification. Latin letter, a Greek letter or letters
or a Roman numeral indicating the officina. Some officina symbols are listed in a table below. Sometimes the officina is omitted and
sometimes it precedes the mint name abbreviation.
4. Series marks. Many mintmarks also include symbols such as dots, a crescent, or a branch, for
example. These symbols probably indicate when the coin was struck and who
was responsible for the workshop at that time.
The tables below will help determine the mint and officina for Roman coins.
Roman Mintmarks (Arranged in alphabetical order) |
Mintmark |
Mint (Modern Name) |
A |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
AL |
Alexandria, Egypt
|
ALE |
Alexandria, Egypt
|
ALEX |
Alexandria, Egypt |
AMB |
Ambianum (Amiens, France)
|
AMBI |
Ambianum (Amiens, France)
|
AN |
Antioch/Antiochia,
Syria (Antakiyah,
Turkey) |
ANT |
Antioch/Antiochia,
Syria (Antakiyah,
Turkey) |
ANTOB |
Antioch/Antiochia,
Syria (Antakiyah,
Turkey) |
AQ |
Aquileia, Italy
|
AQOB |
Aquileia, Italy
|
AQPS |
Aquileia, Italy
|
AQVI |
Aquileia, Italy
|
AQVIL |
Aquileia, Italy
|
AR |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
ARL |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
AVG |
Londinium (London,
England) |
AVGOB |
Londinium (London,
England) |
AVGPS |
Londinium (London,
England) |
|
|
BA |
Barcino (Barcelona, Spain)
|
|
|
C |
Camulodunum (Colchester,
England) |
C |
Clausentum (Bitterne,
England) |
C |
Constantinopolis
(Istanbul, Turkey) |
CL |
Camulodunum (Colchester,
England) |
CL |
Clausentum (Bitterne,
England) |
CP |
Constantinopolis
(Istanbul, Turkey) |
COM |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
COMOB |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
CON |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
CONST |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
CON |
Constantinopolis
(Istanbul, Turkey) |
CONS |
Constantinopolis
(Istanbul, Turkey) |
CONSP |
Constantinopolis
(Istanbul, Turkey) |
CONOB |
Constantinopolis
(Istanbul, Turkey) |
CVZ |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
CVZIC |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
CYZ |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
CYZICEN |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
|
|
H |
Heraclea (Marmara Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
HER |
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
HERAC |
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
HERACI |
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
HERACL |
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
HT |
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
|
|
K |
Carthage/Carthago
(near Tunis, Tunisia) |
K |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
KAR |
Carthage/Carthago (near Tunis, Tunisia) |
KART |
Carthage/Carthago (near Tunis, Tunisia)
|
KON |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
KONSTAN |
Arelatum/Constantina
(Arles, France) |
KV |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
KVZ |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
KY |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
|
|
L |
Londinium (London,
England) |
LD |
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
LG |
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
LI |
Londinium (London,
England) |
LN |
Londinium (London,
England) |
LON |
Londinium (London,
England) |
LVG |
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
LVGD |
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
LVGPS |
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
|
|
MD |
Mediolanum (Milan, Italy)
|
MDOB |
Mediolanum (Milan, Italy)
|
MDPS |
Mediolanum (Milan, Italy)
|
MED |
Mediolanum (Milan, Italy)
|
ML |
Londinium (London,
England) |
MLL |
Londinium (London,
England) |
MLN |
Londinium (London,
England) |
MN |
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
MOST |
Ostia (Port of Rome,
Italy)
|
MSL |
Londinium (London,
England) |
|
|
N |
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
NIC |
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
NICO |
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
NIK |
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
|
|
OES |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
OST |
Ostia (Port of Rome,
Italy)
|
|
|
PLG |
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
PLN |
Londinium (London,
England) |
PLON |
Londinium (London,
England) |
PK |
Carthage/Carthago (near Tunis, Tunisia) |
|
|
R |
Rome, Italy |
RAV |
Ravenna, Italy |
RM |
Rome, Italy |
ROM |
Rome, Italy |
ROMA |
Rome, Italy |
ROMOB |
Rome, Italy |
RV |
Ravenna, Italy
|
RVPS |
Ravenna, Italy
|
|
|
S |
Siscia (Sisak, Croatia)
|
SD |
Serdica (Sophia, Bulgaria)
|
SER |
Serdica (Sophia, Bulgaria)
|
SERD |
Serdica (Sophia, Bulgaria)
|
SIR |
Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) |
SIRM |
Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) |
SIROB |
Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) |
SIS |
Siscia (Sisak, Croatia)
|
SISC |
Siscia (Sisak, Croatia)
|
SISCPS |
Siscia (Sisak, Croatia)
|
SM |
Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) |
SMAL |
Alexandria, Egypt
|
SMAN |
Antioch/Antiochia,
Syria (Antakiyah,
Turkey) |
SMAQ |
Aquileia, Italy
|
SMBA |
Barcino (Barcelona, Spain)
|
SMH |
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
SMK |
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh,
Turkey) |
SMN |
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
SMR |
Rome, Italy |
SMSD |
Serdica (Sophia, Bulgaria) |
SMTR |
Treveri (Trier, Germany)
|
SMTS |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
|
|
T |
Ticinum (Pavia, Italy)
|
TE |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
TES |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
TESOB |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
TH |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
THS |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
THES |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
THSOB |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
TR |
Treveri (Trier, Germany)
|
TRE |
Treveri (Trier, Germany)
|
TROB |
Treveri (Trier, Germany)
|
TRPS |
Treveri (Trier, Germany)
|
TS |
Thessalonica (Salonika,
Greece) |
|
|
VRB ROM |
Rome, Italy |
Roman Mintmarks (Arranged
by Mint) |
Mint |
Dates of Operation |
Mintmarks |
Alexandria, Egypt
|
294 - 421 and
457 - 474 A.D. |
AL, ALE, ALEX, SMAL
(Notes: Issued currency for the province before becoming a regular
imperial mint. Reopened by the Byzantines 525 -646 A.D.)
|
Ambianum (Amiens, France)
|
350 - 353 A.D. |
AMB, AMBI
|
Antioch/Antiochia,
Syria (Antakiyah, Turkey)
|
217 - 611 A.D. |
AN, ANT, ANTOB, SMAN
(Notes: Struck local issues prior to becoming an imperial mint.)
|
Aquileia, Italy
|
294 - 324
and
334 - 430 A.D.
|
AQ, AQOB, AQPS, AQVI, AQVIL, SMAQ
|
Arelatum/Constantina (Arles, France)
|
313 - 475 A.D. |
A, AR, ARL,
CON, CONST, KON, KONSTAN
(Notes: In 328 Arelatum was renamed Constantina in honor of Constantine
II. After Constantine II was killed in 340, the name reverted to
Arelate, only to be changed again in 354 to Constantina by Constantius
II. It retained that name, although the mintmark 'AR' appeared on some
of its coins even in the fifth century.)
|
Barcino (Barcelona, Spain)
|
409 - 411 A.D. |
BA, SMBA
(Notes: Mint city for the usurper Maximus)
|
Camulodunum (Colchester, England)
|
c. 287 - 296 A.D. |
C, CL
(Notes: Hosted a mint under the British Roman emperors Carausius and
Allectus.)
|
Clausentum (Bitterne, England) |
287 - 296 A.D. |
C, CL
(Notes: Hosted a mint under the British Roman emperors Carausius and
Allectus.)
|
Carthage/Carthago (near Tunis, Tunisia)
|
296 - 307 and
308 - 311 A.D.
|
K, KAR, KART,
PLK
|
Constantinopolis (Istanbul, Turkey)
|
326 - 1453 A.D. |
C, CP, CON,
CONS, CONSP, CONOB
|
Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey)
|
260 - c. 475
A.D. |
CVZ, CVZIC,
CYZ, CYZICEN, KV, KVZ, KY, SMK
|
Heraclea (Marmara
Ereglisi, Turkey)
|
291 - c. 474
A.D. |
H, HER, HERAC, HERACI, HERACL, HT, SMH
(Notes: HT abbreviates Heraclea Thracica.)
|
Londinium/Augusta (London, England)
|
287 - 325
and
383 - 388 A.D. |
AVG, AVGOB, AVGPS, L, LD, LG, LI, LN, LON, LVG, LVGD, LVGPS, ML, MLL, MLN, MSL,
PLN, PLON
(Notes: Londinium was renamed Augusta c. 325 A.D. Coins minted
under Magnus Maximus, 383 -387 A.D. use the AVG mintmarks.)
|
Lugdunum (Lyons, France)
|
15 B.C. - c. 90
A.D.,
195 -196, and
c. 254 - 423 A.D. |
PLG
(Notes: Struck under the usurper Clodius Albinus, 195 - 196 A.D.)
|
Mediolanum (Milan, Italy)
|
c. 250 - c. 275
and
364 - 475 A.D. |
MD, MDOB, MDPS, MED
(Notes: Theoderic, the Gothic king of Italy minted coins at
Mediolanum, 493 to 526 A.D.)
|
Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey)
|
294 - c. 474
A.D. |
MN, N, NIC,
NICO, NIK, SMN
(Notes: reopened as a Byzantine mint, 498 - 627.)
|
Ostia (Port of Rome,
Italy)
|
308-313 A.D. |
MOST, OST
(Notes: The mint was transferred to Ostia from Carthage and then
transferred from Ostia to Arelate.)
|
Ravenna, Italy
|
404 - 475 A.D. |
RAV, RV, RVPS
|
Rome, Italy
|
c. 289 - 40 B.C.
and
20 B.C. - 476 A.D.
|
R, RM, ROM,
ROMA, ROMOB, VRB ROM, SMR
|
Serdica (Sophia, Bulgaria) |
272 -282, 303-308
and 313 -314 A.D.
|
SD, SER, SERD, SMSD
|
Sirmium (Sremska
Mitrovica, Serbia, 75 km West of Belgrade on the river Sava)
|
320 - 326, 351 - 364, 379
and 393 - 395 A.D.
|
SIR, SIRM, SIROB, SM |
Siscia (Sisak, Croatia)
|
260 - c. 390
A.D.
|
S, SIS, SISC, SISCPS
|
Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece)
|
298 or 299 - c.
460 A.D. |
COM, COMOB,
OES, SMTS, TE, TES, TESOB, TH, THES, THS, THSOB, TS
(Notes: Closed during the reign of Leo I, 457-474 A.D.)
|
Ticinum (Pavia, Italy)
|
c. 274 - 326
A.D. |
T
|
Treveri (Trier, Germany)
|
294 - 395, 408 -
413 and c. 430 A.D. |
SMTR, TR, TRE,
TROB, TRPS
|
Officina Numbers |
1st
|
I, P (for prima),
PRIMA, A (alpha), OFF P (officina prima) |
2nd
|
II, S (for
secunda), SECVNDA, B (beta), OFF S (officina secunda) |
3rd |
III, T (for tertia), TERTIA, C,
G (gamma) |
4th |
IIII, Q (for quarta), QVARTA, D,
D (delta) |
5th |
V, E
(epsilon) |
6th |
VI,
V (stigma
- archaic Greek letter resembling S) |
7th |
VII, Z (zeta) |
8th |
H (eta) |
9th |
N, Q
(theta),
DE (delta epsilon) |
10th |
X, I (iota) |
11th |
XI, IA (iota alpha), AI (alpha
iota) |
12th |
XII, IB (iota beta), BI
(beta iota) |
13th |
IG
(iota gamma), GI (gamma iota) |
14th |
ID
(iota delta), DI (delta iota) |
15th |
IE
(iota epsilon), EI (epsilon iota) |
|