currency-bar

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Object Type
Museum number: 1867,0212.4
Denomination: aes signatum
Description: Cast copper alloy currency bar (aes signatum). (whole); Two chickens facing each other. Between them stars above and below. (obverse); Two tridents with two dolphins between. (reverse)
State
Authority
Cultures/periods
Production date: 280BC-250BC (circa)
Production place: Minted in: Rome (city)
Materials
Technique
Dimensions: Length: 168 millimetres (max); Weight: 1491 grammes; Thickness: 20 millimetres (max); Width: 95 millimetres (max)
Curator's comments: The designs on this currency bar are thought to refer to naval battles of the First Punic War (264 BC-241 BC). The tridents and dolphins on the reverse symbolise the sea, and the two stars and chickens on the obverse are thought to refer to the function of Castor and Pollux as protectors of sailors (Crawford 1974, p.718, note 2).
Bibliographic references: RRC / Roman Republican Coinage (12/1); HN Italy / Historia Numorum : Italy (265, p.46); Haeb / Aes Grave. Das Schwergeld Roms und Mittelitaliens (2, p.134); BMC Greek (Italy) / A catalogue of Greek coins: Italy (2, p.66); Ghey, Leins & Crawford 2010 / A catalogue of the Roman Republican Coins in the British Museum, with descriptions and chronology based on M.H. Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage (1974) (12.1.2)
Location: Not on display
Exhibition history: Exhibited: February 2003 - January 2018, Manchester Museum, Money Gallery LT Loan
Subjects: bird; arms/armour; mammal
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1867
Acquisition notes: Formerly in the Guadagni collection, Florence.
Department: Coins and Medals
Registration number: 1867,0212.4
C&M catalogue number: GC1 (BMC Greek (Italy)) (66) (2)

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