Comments and ID's against Roman coins are from our expert Mark Lehman who also lectures on the subject in the USA

Comments and ID's against Celtic coins are from Dr Philip de Jersey who runs the National Celtic Coin Index

Roman silver Coins

Denarius
The denarius was the main silver coin, in fact the main denomination, of the Roman Republic. Under the Empire, Augustus controlled the minting of the gold and silver denominations, and the denarius continued. Under Nero the weight and fineness of the denarius dropped, and this cost-cutting practice was continued under successive emperor. By the reign of Caracalla, the denarius was about 40% silver, and the new antoninianus was introduced. The denarius continued, but was gradually phased out, first becoming bronze, and then disappearing after serving the Romans for almost 400 years.

Quinarius
Silver quinarii, or half denarii, were minted sporadically throughout the Republic. Its minting became more regular under the Early Principate and, under Augustus, it was worth 8 asses.

Antoninianus
This coin was introduced by Caracalla and worth twice that of the Denarius, but it actually only had about 1 1/2 of the denarius's silver content. Both the Antoninianus and the denarius continued for some time until the denarius was phased out. Gradually, over the Third Century, the silver content of the antoninianus dropped, until it was merely silver washed bronze coins. At this time, it is considered to be an AE coin.
Image Not Yet Available Argenteus
This silver coin was first minted by Diocletian as part of his monetary reforms. It lasted until the reign of Constantine and replaced the old denarius, for it was roughly the same fineness and weight of the early denarius.
Image Not Yet Available Miliarense
This silver coin was worth 1/18 of a solidus, and was introduced by Constantine late in his reign to replace the argenteus.

Siliqua
Another silver coin introduced by Constantine, and worth 1/24 of a solidus. Originally it was 1/96 of a pound of silver, but his son, Constantius II reduced it to 1/144 of a pound of silver.

Oldest Roman silver coin found here at 136BC

As dug, nearly 'cooked' and final pictures - just sent to Mark for his final ID

17.81mm, 3.28g

Equals the oldest coin found in Britain at 211 BC

Early Roman silver coin - straight into 'cooker' to clean off horn silver crust

This dates, as far as I can tell - since no trace of symbol has become visible beneath the horses or between the heads of the Dioscuri - to the earliest issue of actual Denarii, as distinct from the earlier Drachma-denominated silver coinage.  It dates to the period 211-206 BC (according to the most recent scholarship on dating) and would be RSC # 2 (Roman Silver Coinage) - if that catalog number gives you some idea of how close to the beginning of the book it's found. This first coinage was anonymous, lacking even symbols to potentially indicate via association (or pun) the names of the families of moneyers.  This is actually the 3rd type produced (so far as I can tell) "ROMA" in the exergue of this specimen appears to be in relief.  On the very earliest ROMA was incuse, and a transitional type had ROMA partially incuse and partially in relief.

The general types, however, the helmeted head of Roma, inspired by (and, frankly, copied from) the helmeted head of Athena on Corinthian didrachms) with "X" mark of denomination (10 Asses of bronze to the silver Denarius - later it would be re-tariffed at 16) and the Dioscuri, Castor & Pollux, galloping right with levelled lances would be among the very most common devices used on denarii over the next 150 years.  When there was no specific bit of history or family fame being related on a moneyer's denarii, this was one of the 3 main "stock" types, along with Jupiter driving a quadriga and Victory driving a biga.

I believe this is the earliest Roman coin you folks have turned up, to date.  It is, at least, the earliest I recall being forwarded to me for identification.  With the exception of the slightly earlier (and very much more rare) "Romano-Campanian" Quadrigati (Didrachmae), Drachmae and Semes, this is about as early as you can go in the "Roman" coin series.

Mark

Canadian Rod's 136 BC Roman silver

I'm reasonably certain this is RSC/Babelon "Lucretia 1" - Cn(aeus) Lucretius Trio, 136 BC.  Everything visible on your coin fits with the descriptions, line-drawings and photos I have available.  There are a couple other possibilities - not quite such complete matches, but possible - from approximately the same time-frame.  Unfortunately, the remaining "scales" on this coin cover the two areas I'd need to see to be 100% certain and rule out the possibles.  There should be, in addition to the visible "X" below the chin: "TRIO", vertically & downward, behind Roma's helmet on the obverse.  On the reverse, the whole abbreviation beneath the horses of the Dioscuri should be: "CN LVCR".

Mark

Roman Republican silver coin 126 BC

3.50g, 17.12mm

'This one is a Roman Republican denarius of tribune/moneyer N. Fabius Pictor, struck at Rome in 126 B.C (RSC/Babelon - Fabia 11), .
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right, * shape behind head; (monogram form of XVI - indicating the denarius was now worth 16 Asses - it had only recently been retarriffed from its nearly century-long value of 10 Asses) control-letter below chin. (BTW, this coin exhibits the first example of the use of control-letters in the Roman series.)
Rx: N FABI / PICTOR in vertical lines up to left and down to right of helemted and cuirassed figure of the Flamen Quirinalis Q. Fabius Pictor seated left holding apex (high-priest's ceremonial helmet) and spear; shield
inscribed: QVI / RIN at his side; ROMA in exergue.
Syd/CRR 517, SR 144.

This is another really interesting piece, not unlike the odd Greek coin you occasionally turn up, because despite its worn state - showing it was in circulation for quite some time - it's really "too early" of a piece to be in Britain. Unless, somehow, this piece was carried ashore by one of the soldiers of Julius Caesar's ill-fated British expeditions - at which time it would have been nearly 75 years old - it would have had to be bartered for tin or other trade-goods in the pre-Roman era or been part of some hoard or treasure which had been accumulated on the mainland and later transported to Britannia. It would have been very unlikely to be a circulating coin at the time of Claudius' successful invasion - at which time it would have been nearly 175 years old.

So, you're left with it either travelling to Britannia by means unknown c. 100-60 B.C., or possibly having been held as an old and curious good luck piece or similar item by a much later' Roman

Mark

From a duckling to a swan ! Crusty Roman coin, pick it and heh presto ! Roman Republican denarius of Vibius, 42 BC found by Milwaukee Mike.

obv. Helmeted bust of Minerva r., wearing aegis. Border of dots.
rev. C.VIBIVS VARVS, Herculus standing facing, holding club in r. hand and lion-skin overl. arm. Border of dots

obv. {RO]MA, head of Roma, r.
rev. [ ] , victory in biga r.

'The "Aha!" moment has arrived. The coin is not of the Flavian Dynasty after all - it's Galba - and a very rare coin!

I had been laboring under the misconception that Galba struck no coins with counter-clockwise legends - had been told so by folks who should know - but I suppose they were referring to the coins' obverses - however, as I check RIC I, I find that even obverse CCW legends aren't unknown for Galba - from the mint of Tarraco in Spain - and yours has one. Now Galba is a rare bird - any Galba is - but the Spanish mint pieces are rarer still, and with the CCW legends, rarer still!
So I hope you're not displeased that it took me so long to figure all this out - but I have not only never handled or seen one of these in person, I didn't even know they existed, and some of the best-known numismatists on the web didn't know it either.

Your coin, dating c. April, through late 68 A.D. is RIC vol I, #13. The obverse legend reads counterclockwise from about 4:00: GALBA - IMP and shows his laureate bust. The reverse reads CCW from about 9:30: DIVA AVGVSTA and shows the deified Livia (yes, that Livia, if you recall "I Claudius") standing left, holding a patera (ritual libation dish - full of poison?) and a scepter. This coin is accorded a frequency rating of "R2", meaning there were only about 10 - 15 recorded specimens at the time the book was written (1984).

Woo Hoo! What a find! The British Museum probably already has one, but despite its state of preservation, this is a very valuable coin!'

Mark

It's a denarius of the Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD), minted in Rome AD 75.

Obverse:
IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Vespasian, his laueate head right

Reverse:
PON MAX TRP COS VI
Pax seated left, holding olive-branch, left hand at side.

Thanks to Jan de Veen of the UR forum for ID

Beautiful Roman silver ID by Mark Lehman 2.72g, 18.19mm

Marcus Aurelius in 163 A.D

This one's almost too easy.

This denarius would be easily recognizeable from its realistic portrait of the youngish Marcus Aurelius in 163 A.D. just after his elevation from Caesar under Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.) to Augustus in his own right, even if it didn't have a single letter of legend showing.
However, this one is so clear that I can give you a multiplicity of references for it.
- RIC III, 70,
- C/RSC 526,
- Cf. SR 4925.
This obverse legend was used only during this one year (Dec. 10, 162 - Dec. 10, 163), and the reverse legend: 'PROV DEOR TRP XVII COS III" recapitulates the date of 163 A.D. by proclaiming his 17th yearly renewal of tribunician powers along with his 3rd consulship (which occurred in 161).

This is a great example of how well-dated some Roman coins were. In the case of those emperors who didn't necessarily renew TR P, Imperium, etc, all on the same date as the commencement of their Consulships (if any), it is possible to date some coins to a frame of months or even weeks.

2.03g – 17.7mm

'obviously don't have to tell you that this is Vespasian, but this one is so nice and clear that I will give you chapter and verse from the standard references - no uncertainties with this one!

15 minutes later:
Hah! - I read that last sentence with a new personal appreciation of the word "hubris". This was no simple lookup!

First, this combination of obverse and reverse does not go together - this coin should not, strictly speaking, exist. That should have been my first clue - that, or maybe the low weight at 2.03 gm, or MAYBE the spots of core-exposure. This is a fourree. A contemporary counterfeit, made to deceive. A copper blank was wrapped with silver foil and struck with dies made to emulate types found on denarii..Mulings of obverses and reverses that do not belong with each other are common on fourrees. This piece may be even more interesting for being an ancient forgery than it would have been had it been official.
I have in my own collection a fourree denarius of Otho with a reverse of Vespasian - inscribed like this one: COS ITER TR POT (but with a different type) Evidently, the second consulship of Vespasian was a popular subject for forgers' dies, and also, that was a time of particular activity for those involved in this risky business.
My best guess is that it was manufactured around 72-75 A.D., and probably made the trip from Italy to England - I'm not familiar with this sort of imitative from England, although AEs of the Julio-Claudians were extensively - and crudely - imitated in the Isles.

Cool find, still, even if it did lead me a merry chase!'

Mark

4thC Roman silver

RBS ROMA / Shewolf & twins city commemorative from the mint of Lugdunum (Lyons, France) - it would date to about 335-337 A.D. being the smaller module issue - the larger ones (c. 18 + mm) are the ones from
333-335 A.D.

'It would have been silver-washed, originally - the alloy itself might have contained a percent or two of silver as well, but not nearly enough to make the coin look silvery on its own. Except for the silver or billon argenteus of the era, there were no silver coins, per-se, in circulation - silver-washed bronze or copper evidently filled-in as token coinage at a good bit above its intrinsic value with the silver wash to indicate that it took the place of silver. Unfortunately, little to nothing survives from contemporary records and no even knows what these were called as a denomination, or what relationship they stood to the gold and other base denominations.
These, and the equally common "CONSTANTIOPOLIS" city commemoratives were issued simultaneously, and at about the same time as the "GLORIA EXERCITVS" - two soldiers flanking one or two standards - and they are even found paired with those reverses.'

Mark

1.96g, 15.61mm

'That's a "Legionary Denarius " of Marc Antony.
32-31 B.C. is when it was minted, but these, being of baser silver than the denarii of the early empire (and finer silver than the denarii of the 3rd century), seemed to stay in circulation for a very long time, first because they weren't worth turning in at a discount, and later because they were too valuable to turn in. They circulated widely in the Provinces, and in fact, are found in hoards up to 300 years later than their mintage-date. You can see this one is quite worn, so it probably had been around for a long time before it was lost. The obverse has a galley sailing (rowing) right (your photo is 90 degrees off to clockwise) and the legend: ANT AVG III VIR R P C. The reverse shows a legionary eagle (Aquila) between two legionary standards and names the legion between them as: | LEG | XI | which I believe, but am not sure this is. They're known for legions I through XXX (with a few missing). XI is a common legion, some are scarce, some rare'.

Denarius of Antoninus Pius, 138-161 A.D1.82g – 16.83 mm

Antoninianus of Postumus

'That's an antoninianus of Postumus - emperor of the Gallic Empire of Rome. The northern and western provinces split off on their own during the difficult and chaotic times in the 250's & 260's A.D. About the same time Valerian was being captured by the Persians - and subjected to various colorful humiliations - leaving his son Gallienus in sole charge of the empire, Postumus, who had been one of Gallienus' generals, was proclaimed emperor by his troops and found himself in a very favorable position of power. He therefore was the emperor of Spain, Gaul and Britain for almost a decade. His successors did not fare as well, and the Tetrici were eventually forced to abdicate in favor of Aurelian.

Interestingly, the Gallic Empire seemed to be wealthier than the empire at Rome, the quality of the Gallic coins is higher, as is their general level of silver - Postumus and successors managed to coin better silver, then billon, than did Gallienus under whose reign the antoninianus fell from an approximately 50% silver coin to a tiny, miserable, silvery-washed copper piece - some of the worst may not even have been silver-washed.

Your piece is the PAX AVG type and shows Pax standing left, holding an olive-branch and scepter.

With obverse legend IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG it could be either mint of Lugdunum or Cologne, according to RIC, but there are many authorities who question the attributions to one or the other mint (assigning them on the basis of style) - it's probably best to say that the origin of most of the Gallic coins is unclear at best'.

Mark

Roman silver sent to Mark for ID 2.92g, 18.87mm

Julia Domna, the wife of Septimius Severus Rome c. 196 A.D

That's Julia Domna, the wife of Septimius Severus and mother of Caracalla and Geta. The denarius reads IVLIA AVGVSTA on the obverse and DIANA LVCIFERA on the reverse which shows Diana standing left, crescent moon on her shoulders, holding a long torchdiagonally with both hands. This is a product of the mint at Rome c. 196 A.D. - during the reign of her husband. RIC IV, I 548, RSC 27, SR ('88) 1835, VM 15. Although RIC rates it "scarce", I don't believe it's really any scarcer than most other relatively common types.

Nice find!

Mark

Denarius of Faustina I- 147AD

That's a denarius of Faustina I, wife of Antoninus Pius whom she married during Hadrian's time. She died in 141 A.D. after giving birth to numerous children, including the future Faustina II, wife of Marcus Aurelius.
This extensive posthumous series in her honor is mostly from 147 A.D. and later .
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA. Draped bust rightr.
Rx: CONSECRATIO. Ceres standing left raising hand and holding torch.
SR 4593, RIC 382b, RSC 165a.

107/8 BC Roman Imperial silver

18.10mm, 3.83g

Exciting find indeed - this is a Republican-era denarius. At first I thought it was Julius Caesar, but it belongs to the gens Herrenia The obverse shows a diademed head of Pietas, right - with the inscription PIETAS behind and a control-mark letter beneath the chin. The reverse reads: M. HERENNI and shows Amphinomus carrying his father. I'm not certain to what exact bit of mythology or early "history" this refers, but is reminiscent of the "Aeneas carrying Anchises" reverse of the Venus denarius of Julius Caesar which would be current 60 or so years later.
This piece dates to about 108/7 B.C., and as such may have been traded to islanders for tin or something similar since it does not show the wear requisite to have been in circulation for the whole amount of time between its minting and the Roman incursions. SR 185, Syd 567, Bab/RSC Herennia 1.

Mark

117AD Roman Hadrian silver coin

30AD Cunobelin Celtic silver coin

'further to yesterday's email, yes, this is a rare silver unit of Cunobelin. The type is in recent volumes of 'Coins of England' (no. 310) but isn't in VA or the BMC catalogue. I've attached an image of the best of the six we already have here for you to compare.
Judging from the style and the very classical griffin it's a late issue, presumably 30s AD. Findspots are in Essex (4 including yours) and Suffolk (1), ie in the Trinovantian territory rather than the Catuvellauni.

I'll record it as CCI 06.0523. Congratulations on a rare find!'

Your piece (a) isn't quite as clear, but it's still easily recognizeable as a denarius of Hadrian, Trajan's successor, who reigned 117-138 A.D. This is from the enormous COS III series. Hadrian was consul only three times so almost all the coins from the end of his period have COS III in their reverse legends - those with only COS III as reverse legend date to 125-128 A.D.
The Obverse legend is similarly simple, from the series with just COS III on reverse, the only Obverse legend was HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS - his laureate head right.
The reverse is a little more problematic, since this series was struck continuously in the years 125-128 A.D., thre are literally dozens of deities and personifications - we have only the object (caduceus? spear?) to go on and even it is unclear in the photo despite tweaking.
I am going to make a guess here - and further cleaning may reveal more detail which will change my interpretation, but on the off chance that the figure is holding a smallish, round shield before herself, that it is Minerva, standing left, legs together, holding small round shield low and spear. Aside from this, the only other possibility I see with the level of detail visible now would be Libertas standing left holding pileus (Freedom
cap) and rod.
Going with Minerva, this is RIC II 154, RSC 297 - if Libertas, it's RIC 175 or RSC 374

As I look at further references, I'm leaning more towards Libertas - we'll have to see whether she's holding out that right hand and if so, what's in it.

2.88g, 17.65

10- 40AD Cunobelin silver 1/4 stater - very rare find

'cooking' it to remove crust

'Many thanks for this one. As I'm sure you already know it's a Cunobelin type, quite a scarce one too. The catalogue reference is VA 1949, and there are 29 of them in the online CCI:

http://www.finds.org.uk/CCI/images-lister.php?&VA_type=1949.01

The obverse is pretty much unvaried throughout the type, with a simple CVN inscription in a panel, but the reverse has at least three different options in the placing of the inscription below the animal (which is probably a hunting dog). I think I can see the top of the M of CAM, for Camulodunum, on this one, but it will be easier to see when the coin is cleaned. I would also expect it to lose a bit of weight then, since 1.41g is about 0.15g heavier than usual for the type.

I would guess the date of this type is fairly early in Cunobelin's reign, perhaps c. 15 - 20 AD. I'll record this one as CCI 07.1134.'

Roman silver coin Before and after pictures - still 'cooking' it

32 BC Mark Antony, Legionary silver Denarius. ANT.AVG.III.VIR.R.P.C Galley, Legionary Eagle between two standards

As dug to 'cooked' 2nd Oldest coin ever found here so far 132BC

Silver Roman coin 14-37 AD

1.46g, 17.40mm

As dug

Early Roman silver coin in the 'cooker' to remove the horn silver crust 17.87mm, 3.01g

Yes, of course this is Faustina - that's pretty obvious. However there were 2 Faustinae, the wives of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius respectively. This is the 2nd, also known as "Faustina Junior". She and Marcus Aurelius were married in 145 AD. while he was still Caesar under Antoninus Pius and raised to the rank of Augusta in 147. So her coinage exists in several phases: those struck by Antoninus Pius before, then after becoming Augusta, those struck by Marcus Aurelius during her life, and those struck in her honor posthumously. she and Marcus evidently had a closer relationship than that enjoyed by most Imperial couples - Faustina accompanied or visited him throughout his military career in far-flung outposts while fighting the Germans. For this, she became known as "Matri Castrorum" - "Mother of the Camps". This piece was struck by Marcus Aurelius while she was still living, sometime between his elevation to Augustus in 161 and her death in 175. The reverse type, which is a bit hard to read in its present condition is "SALVS" - the allegorical personification of Salus ("health", but as in "the Health of the Empire" or "of the body-public", etc.) seated left feeding a serpent arising from a low altar at her feet. This is a pretty obscure reference for us at this remove in time, but it was full of important symbolism for the Romans. Whether at that point in time it was still occurring that the Vestals and/or other faithful Roman women fed actual serpents in ceremonies from which all men were banned, I don't know. Ceremonies of this type were important well into the Imperatorial era. However, the image of this ceremony remained a part of the Roman psyche and symbolized the "Purity" or "Virtue" of the Empire to the extent that it could interact with serpents and not be harmed.

Catalog - RIC III, 714 (of Marcus Aurelius), RSC 195, SR 5262.

Mark

Sego 10 BC to 10 AD Silver Celtic unit

Celtic silver coin found in Kent by one of our members - left with me to record properly with the Celtic coin index and obtain export license correctly - 1.34g, 14.01mm

'Thanks very much for this. As you probably know the type has a very Kentish distribution, so if it is of Tasciovanus – the traditional attribution – it seems to have been produced specifically to be used there. The other interesting feature is of course the inscription itself, which is often now interpreted as meaning ‘victory’ or something similar, rather than a personal name. Tasciovanus winning a battle in Kent, perhaps?

I’ll record it as CCI 08.9335. There are only seven on the web at

http://www.finds.org.uk/CCI/images-lister.php?&VA_type=1851.01

and although the number may have gone up a little since then, it can’t be by many – perhaps a dozen at most.

All the best

Philip'

27AD silver Divus Argusta

2ndC Roman silver coin sent off for ID

17.05mm, 2.79g

Mark Lehman just sent me this feedback & ID on the coin

As dug, nearly cooked and finished - 3.40g, 18.81mm

Example from Mark's collection

AR Denarius Serratus, 82 B.C.
Q. Antonius Balbus
18mm, 3.69gm, axis: 4:00
Obv: Laureate head of Jupiter right, SC behind.
Rx: Victory in quadriga right, holding wreath and palm; beneath: T / Q ANTO BALB (ligate) / PR.
Coinage of the faction opposed to Sulla – along with the Senate who, unusually, approved this issue.
Syd-CRR 742, RSC-Bab Antonia 1, SR 279.

Roman silver coin send for ID

Another silver Roman with green grunge' growing on it - sent for ID

18.65mm, 2.57g

Cooked Roman silver sent for ID 1.43g, 17.71mm

Best condition Roman silver I have ever seen dug- next to fresh water spring ! Probably an offering

Sent off for ID

16.3mm,3.39g

Roman silver coin sent off for IDAntoninus Pius (138-161) 2.92g, 17.49mm

Interesting Roman silver forgery sent for ID

2.36g, 17.33mm

2ndC Roman silver coin as dug and partially 'cooked' to reveal some of the detail 3.14g, 19mm

The Denarius is a poshumous commemorative issue in remembrance of Antoninus Pius, by Marcus Aurelius, c. 161, AD.  "DIVVS ANTONINVS / CONSECRATIO"; eagle on garlanded altar. 
It looks as though it should have a lot of good detail and may wind up a very attractive coin, given how unkind British soil seems to be to Æ's, at least.  It's a rather common type, but in the condition this seems to be, it's a quite decent find.

Mark

Roman silver coin - as dug and partially cooked - back in the 'cooker' to remove crust

2ndC Roman silver coin - 'cooking it to remove crust'

Your coin is definitely Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD.  I believe the reverse is Victory standing left holding wreath in outstretched right hand and a long palm-branch in the left.  I believe the reverse legend is IMPERATOR II.  If it is Imperator II, a fairly common type, it dates to about 143 AD from the mint at Rome.

Mark 

As dug,almost 'cooked' and finally cooked

1stC Celtic silver unit - straight into the cooker to remove the horn crust

Cunobelin 20 AD Celtic silver coin

The Cunobelin silver is very nice, and a rare type at that. Seated figure facing left. The only standard reference for the type is no. 308 in Spink's Coins of England, it's not in Van Arsdell or the BM catalogue. You can see the amphora which the seated figure is holding quite clearly, but the CVNOBE doesn't show up too well on either. I don't have the exact figures here for rarity, but I don't think there are more than a dozen of these recorded at most. Date is perhaps somewhere in the middle of Cunobelin's reign, say perhaps c. 20-25 AD.

Thanks again for all these,
Best wishes
Philip

Another typical example found here

"fourree" silver-over-copper denarii

Fascinating find Roman silver forgery coin showing exposed copper core which swelled and forced off one face of the coin. Shows clearly how the forgery was constructed

BC Republican Roman silver straight into the 'cooker' to remove crust

32 BC Mark Antony, Legionary silver Denarius. ANT.AVG.III.VIR.R.P.C Galley, Legionary Eagle between two standards

Amazing detail under the crud, I think I recognise this coin as a Mark Antony Galley coin - sent to Mark Lehman for ID - more cooking to do yet

That's right, although I wouldn't call this a "tribute" type, this is a denarius struck by Marc Antony to pay the troops and for supplies during the campaign which ended in the defeat of his forces by those of Octavian (later Augustus) and Agrippa at the great sea-battle of Actium in 31 BC.  These pieces, which enumerate his various legions on the reverse, are presumed to have been struck by a travelling mint accompanying his forces during the winter of 32/31 BC at his headquaters in Patrae.

Some of the legions named on the coins are found only occasionally or rarely if at all.  This one appears (as well as I can make out from the photo) to name legion II (2) - you can look at the area between the "aquila" - the legionary eagle and the standard to the right on the reverse to confirm which legion is named with a Roman numeral.  If it is II, it's one of the more commonly found legions in this series.

The legend on the obverse, along with the galley, is  ANT AVG III VIR R P C, which names Antony as Augur and Triumvir. 

Due to being somewhat debased silver, these remained in circulation in some areas for 250-300 years and are often found in northern European hoards worn so smooth that all you can do is identify them as legionary denarii - this piece is in far nicer condition than these are generally found - it must have been lost relatively soon after it was minted.

Mark

As dug

Teresa's Roman silver starting to 'cook' up nicely - sent to Mark Lehman for ID

This is a denarius of Hadrian (117-138 AD) who did some building in your part of the world as a part of his program to consolidate the governable parts of the expanded Empire left him by his predecessor Trajan.  Trajan, if you will recall, was the emperor under whose reign the Roman Empire reached its largest size, so Hadrian, being a practical sort of fellow, trimmed-off the ungovernable places (Like the lands won from the Parthian Persian Empire) and did what he could to make other areas as practical to be goverened as possible.  In Britain, as you know, this meant building and maintaining a string of fortresses and garrisons, all connected by a wall across the narrowest part of your island to keep the increasingly Romanized south from overmuch depredation from the "barbarian" north.
Being a hands-on sort of ruler, Hadrian made it his business to visit every part of the Empire at least once during his rule.  Often his coins reflected his journeys, almost like "official postcards" from his travels around the Empire.

This piece shows a personification of Africa - the Romans were big on putting human faces onto abstract concepts as a part of their well-developed system of personifications - as a woman reclining at ease against a rock, wearing an elephant-skin headdress and holding a scorpion and a cornucopia, a basket of corn-ears and fruit at her feet.  Africa represented a nearly never-ending source of exploitable riches for the Romans, the fertile areas of the north provided a major portion of the grain without which the Empire would not have had the bread for its "Bread and Circuses".  And indeed Africa produced an unending supply of exotic beasts and people to populate the circuses as well.

The personification of Africa appeared on Roman coins of all denominations towards the end of Hadrian's relatively long reign - your piece dates to about 136 AD.  RIC II 299, RSC 138.
This is a somewhat scarce type and considered very desirable.

Mark

'Cooked'

Great detail on this broken Roman silver - sent for ID

The one with the concave break is a Trajan (96-117 AD) Fortuna Redux Denarius - Fortuna seated left holding a rudder (visible at her feet) and cornucopiae. The reverse legend refers to Trajan's victorious campaigns against the Parthians. The land acquired in these victories was the first that Hadrian "got rid of" - gave back to the Parthian Empire in the interests of peace - in his reign which succeeded Trajan's - but it was part of what brought the Roman Empire to its largest size in lands held. This occurred under Trajan, at just about the time this type was struck - the later part of Trajan's reign - around 116 AD, give or take a year.

I'm not sure yet about who's on the one with the convex break. The portrait makes me think it's probably Flavian era (Vespasian, Titus & Domitian, end of the 1st century AD) I'll need to try to tweak the images a bit to get a better idea from these photos, but a "post-cooking" photo would probably give me more clues.

Mark

As dug

Cooking

Almost 'cooked - just re sent it back off to Mark for a further ID

2ndC Roman silver coin - 'cooking' it to remove crust

This is probably a Flavian (Vespasian, Titus or Domitian) but it is a similar reverse with sacrificial implementia.  This one has "TRI POT" (Tribunicia Potestatum or the Tribunician Powers) across the bottom of the reverse, and that's a common reverse type for the Flavians. 

Other emperors used the sacrificial implements as a reverse type. So I can't be certain who it is until there's a bit more obverse detail to go on. I can tell you that they're often associated with issues for the Caesar - the "heir apparent" - (if there is one) so I'd make a guess there's a good chance this may be Titus, but I believe Vespasian used this same reverse.

When you've revealed some obverse details I should be able to tell you better what you've got here.

Mark

I'm not certain which (if any) member of the family or reference number I might have quoted you before, but as far as I can tell this is Vespasian - the missing part of the obverse legend would be" [IMP CAES VESP AV]G P M COS IIII.
None of the other Flavians used this exact reverse type, AVGVR / TRI POT. 
It's from the mint at Rome and dates to 72/3 AD.  RIC II 42; SR 2282.

Mark

As dug and partially 'cooked' sent for ID

1stC Roman coin - straight into 'cooker' to clean off crust

What you have here is a denarius of Trajan, 96-117 AD.  It was during Trajan's time that the Roman Empire achieved it greatest overall size - it would never again be so large.  Although Hadrian and others of Trajan's successors were quick to lop-off some of the further flung and less easily administered and defended areas, Trajan's rule ushered-in the era of "The Good Emperors"  The 2nd century, therefore, was noted for a general condition of relative peace and prosperity the likes of which would not be seen again (arguably, even in our own time).

This specific piece has "Genius" (Genio Populi Romani - the genius or motivating spirit of the Roman People) standing left holding a patera - a sacrificial vessel for pouring libations - and a cornucopiae.  The legend on the reverse, as is often the case on Trajan's coins, cites only "The Senate and The People of Rome" and the statement that Trajan was "The Optimum Prince".

The obverse legend (which is somewhat unclear on your specimen, so far) will be the typical 2nd century "laundry list" of titles: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P.

The catalog references for this piece are: RIC II 181; RSC 395. 107 AD

Mark

Very unusuall BC Republican Roman silver coin - straight into the 'cooker' but there is enough detail sol I have sent it off to Mark Lehman for his views before I clean it up

SILVER Denarius - 49 to 44 BC,
by JULIUS CAESAR,
Refers to MILITARY VICTORY of GAUL !! When this denarius was first minted, it was a day's wages for one of Julius Caesar's soldiers.
Obv: Elephant Trampling a Serpent
Rev: Priestly Implements

Obv Elephant

Rev Bird facing left

Mitch Chris posted on the forum a picture and ID of the coin and it appears to match.

that's a Julius Caesar elephant denarius.  The elephant is walking right trampling either a serpent (not too likely, but possible) or a Celtic Carnyx - a war trumpet in the shape of a serpent or dragon - in the generous exergue below, you have CAESAR in large, clear letters no one could mistake.  The reverse is an assortment of priestly implements - the exact order and assortment may vary from issue to issue, but will include various items from this list: simpuulum (ladle), aspergillum (sprinkler - looks like a hand-sized floor-mop) jug, knife, axe, apex (pontifex's special hat) and lituus (curved wand).  Caesar held the post of Pontifex Maximus from an early age, which despite its odd set of restrictions, allowed him entry into the halls of power and was his launching-pad to greatness.

The type dates to 49 BC, or about the time his political career in Rome really hit stride, 5 years or so before his demise.  I believe this was well after his abortive attempts at conquering Britain, although I'm not all that certain about the time-line here.  It was a prolific issue and is really relatively common, so it's not too exceptional for one to have made it to Britain in the course of trade, or even been carried by one of Claudius' soldiers as a talisman - although it wasn't impossible for denarii to stay in circulation for a century at that time, this seems to have enough detail to be fairly bold even under encrustation - ie: it doesn't exhibit anything like the wear one would expect for a coin which had circulated for 100 years.

Here's an example showing all the details clearly http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album434/MK_15_04

Mark

Sent to Mark Lehman for ID

This of course is the "Gaius & Lucius Denarius" of Augustus.  One of the most common pieces surviving from the 1st century, there are many who feel this piece actually was more likely to have been the so-called Tribute Penny (if, in fact, the episode in the Gospel of Matthew ever took place) than the Tiberius Denarius usually marketed as the "Tribute Penny".
Gaius and Lucius were Augustus grandsons by Agrippa and Julia - he had great hopes for them to succeed him, but both died young - poisoned as a result of family intrigues if you subscribe to the "I Claudius" plotline for the early Julio-Claudian era. 
The reverse shows, of course, Gaius and Lucius standing facing with a pile of arms on the ground between them and the jug and lituus - priestly implementia -  between their heads.  The reverse legend - C L CAESARES / AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT - names them Princes of Youth and consuls designate.

These were produced at the mint of Lugdunum (modern Lyon) 2-4 AD. RIC 207, RSC 43, SR 1597.

Mark

This is a major fragment of a silver Antoninianus (2 denarii) of, I believe, Philip I (244-249 AD) I can't quite figure out exactly what's happening on the reverse, but it seems like it may be a presentation scene with a deity or personification presenting a wreath or a Victory figure to the Emperor.

Mark

2ndC Roman bronze coin sent for ID

This is a denarius of Septimius Severus, 193-211 AD.  The title in the obverse legend - L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP III - dates the piece to 194 AD.  The reverse type - PACI AVGVSTI - shows Pax seated left holding an olive-branch and a cornucopaie.
References: RIC IV 37, RSC 359.

Severus was the less-famous father of the infamous emperor Caracalla.  Severus died while on campaign in Britain, where he'd been strengthening defenses and rebuilding Hadrian's wall since 208, in York, on February 4, 211.

His death left sons Caracalla and Geta to share the throne as co-emperors, but Caracalla's plans didn't include giving power or advantage to his younger brother on whom he had wasted no love.  On the premise of a meeting of reconciliation with Geta held at a family villa soon thereafter, he had arranged for his bodyguard to attack and fatally stab Geta, who subsequently died in their mother's arms.  Nice folks.

Mark

BC Roman silver coin - sent for ID

Surprisingly, there is just enough left visble in just the correct places to allow me to place this as an issue of L. Julius Bursio, 85 BC. Sear says:
"Draped bust of young male deity right, combining attributes of Apollo (laurel-wreath), Mercury (winged head), and Neptune (trident over shoulder); control mark to left.  Reverse, Victory in quadriga right, sometimes with control-mark/s in field; L IVLI BVRSIO in exergue. Crawford RRC 352/1; Sydenham CRR 728; RSC Julia 6; SR 268. 

Mark

Crusty Roman silver sent for ID

I'll have to meditate on this one a bit.  It ultimately may not be possible to ID it with any certainty, but at the moment, I don't have even a glimmer of immediate recognition.

Mark 

Amazing detail after 'cooking' on this crusty Roman silver fragment - sent off for ID

Checking my references for the Flavians, this type - ANNONA AVG. Annona enthroned left holding a bag of corn-ears in her lap - was struck for both Vespasian and Titus as Caesar in 78/9 AD.  Both used legends which would put the word CAESAR in the position in which it's visible on the obverse.  If you can detect any trace of a "T" before the CAESAR, then it would be Titus.  If you believe there is nothing at all before the CAESAR, then it is Vespasian.

Titus : T CAESAR VESPASIANVS
Vespasian : CAESAR VESPASIANVS

So I can't be 100% certain for whom it was struck (I think it's Vespasian) but the date and everything else would be the same except for a single letter in the obverse legend, and, of course, whether the bust was intended to portray father or son.

It's not possible at this point to be certain, but it is quite possible that this piece was at least halved in antiquity, in order to make change - perhaps even quartered, although the upper, curved break seems more likely to be accidental while the lower one looks more as though it was made with a chisel or other blade.

Mark

Ad dug

'Cooking'

Just about 'cooked'

2ndC Roman silver - straight into the 'cooker' to remove horn silver crust - R

Hadrian (117-138 DA) with Victory on the reverse.  A more detailed ID will have to wait for more legend to be revealed.

Mark

I stand with my original identification - Hadrian / Victory - but there are a few things I can add, now.  The obverse legend is IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG - quoting his official name which contains the name of his predecessor and adoptive father, Trajan.  The legend on the reverse is P M TR P COS III meaning Pontifex Maximum (head of the state religion) holder of the Tribunician Powers (ie: leader of the Plebeans as well as the Aristocracy) Consul for the 3rd time.

This allows us to date this piece.  Although Hadrian (117-138 AD) was consul only 3 times with his 3rd consulship coming very early in his reign, he was eligible to use "COS III" at any time after the fact - so that only brings the spread down to 119-138 AD.  Not too much help in and of itself.  However, this particular use of his list of titles dates specifically to the earlier part of his reign, c. 119 - 125 AD.  This particular type is part of the series issued specifically in 123 AD.

The reverse of this piece probably refers to a specific military victory rather than to "Victory" as an allegorical personification of an abstract virtue.  I don't know Hadrian's history well enough, however, to tell you what campaign or battle this might be commemorating.

Mark

2ndC Roman silver - straight into the 'cooker' to remove horn silver crust - S

On the strength of the portrait I'm willing to say that I'm almost positive that this is a denarius of Trajan (96-117 AD) and if so, this style of portrait tended only to be used relatively early in his reign (c. 96-100 AD).  I don't think I'll be able to tell you much more on the basis of the seated figure on the reverse. The nearly complete lack of legend on both sides - what little is visible is not of any help - will probably prevent me from making a positive ID. I don't know which personification or deity this is supposed to be.  I'll have a quick look through a list of types, but I rather suspect that there will be more than one which vaguely fits this description.  The one thing we have in our favor for a closer ID is that a figure seated to the right is somwhat unusual, most will face left.  The objects she is holding - a scepter and olive-branch (I think) - usually are Pax's attributes

Mark

Wierd silver Roman laminating badly as dug - sent off for ID

16.59mm, 1.42mm

Although in this shape with no remaining legends and a deteriorated portrait, about all I can do is make an educated guess.

I believe this is most likely Trajan - 96-117 AD - and the reverse type, which is clear enough to be certain about, is Fortuna.  She's depicted standing left holding a rudder and cornucopiae.

Fortuna was one of those "evergreen" reverse types, like Pax, and might turn up on the reverses of virtually anyone from the first 3 centuries of the Empire.

Mark

Ad dug

Cooking

Please let me see this when it gets a bit cleaner - I believe it is Magnentius, a short-lived usurper in the West, 350-353.  His silver is pretty rare.  This is the same fellow a lot of whose Centenionales you found and had to declare as a hoard last year or the year before.  Are you certain this is silver?  This type is quite common in Æ, but this is a very, very rare type in AR - and in fact, this would be an unpublished variety of Light Miliarense or a formerly completely unknown type of Siliqua (if it is silver and it is Magnentius).

Mark

4th/5thC Roman silver coin sent for ID

Yes, it looks like one of the officially clipped siliquae created to agree with the size and weight for use as Sceattas.  There seems to be just enough of the bottoms of the letters on the left for me to say that I have a strong suspicion it's Valens - 364-378 AD.  If it is Valens, as I suspect it is, this VRBS ROMA reverse was struck with longer mint marks at only 4 mints - Trier, Lugdunum, Aquilea and Siscia. Rome struck it too, but with only 2 characters in the mint mark.  I can't be quite as sure about making a determination of the mint mark from a few random serifs as I think I can for the obverse legend, but based on what seems to be the centering of the mint mark, I believe it's more likely to consist of 6 characters than 4, meaning it's more likely to be from Siscia than any of the other 3 which used 4-character mint marks.

Mark

1stC Celtic silver unit - straight into the 'cooker' to remove the horn crust

Cunobelin 20 AD Celtic silver coin

The Cunobelin silver is very nice, and a rare type at that. Seated figure facing left. The only standard reference for the type is no. 308 in Spink's Coins of England, it's not in Van Arsdell or the BM catalogue. You can see the amphora which the seated figure is holding quite clearly, but the CVNOBE doesn't show up too well on either. I don't have the exact figures here for rarity, but I don't think there are more than a dozen of these recorded at most. Date is perhaps somewhere in the middle of Cunobelin's reign, say perhaps c. 20-25 AD.

Thanks again for all these,
Best wishes
Philip

As dug

Cooked

This is in fantastic shape out of the ground and silver from the late centuries is hard to find - 'cooking' it to clean up the detail

Just sent it off for ID

16.99mm,1.16

This one pretty much has to be Julian II, but so far I have been unable to find this precise combination of obverse and reverse in RSC - I'm not all that familiar with volume V of RSC since all the later silver (mostly Siliquae) is an order or three of magnitude more rare, in general, than the silver Denarii and Antoniniani of earlier centuries.

I need to dig in the listings a bit more to confirm what I think about which emperor it is, but this is a Siliqua from the mint in Lyon France, then known as Lugdunum.

After a bit more work, this seems to be an unpublished variety of obverse legend for Julian for this type (VOTIS / V / MVLTIS / X) at Lugdunum.  I need to dig around a little more, but it's looking very like this is the case, since RIC VIII seems to agree with RSC V that this combination of legend and reverse type hasn't formerly been recorded.

Mark

'cooked'

2ndC Roman silver coin sent off for ID

This is another of the so-called "Tribute Pennies" - a denarius of Tiberius - he struck basically only this one type of denarius throughout his entire long (24 year!) reign between 14 & 37 AD.  The reverse is PONTIF MAXIM - referring to Tiberius' position as the head of the State religion, and the seated figure is generally accepted to be his mother, Livia.  If not, it's some generic personification - there are a couple theories which it might be, but generally people say Livia for the reverse.

Mark

2ndC Roman silver coin - cooking it - sent for ID

From my first glance at the profile of the portrait, I said to myself "Hadrian", but the legend - which is semi-readable - appears to say Antoninus Pius at first glance - but on magnification, it seems more likely to be one of Marcus Aurelius' obverse legends (Antoninus Pius was Aurelius' adoptive father and the name part of his official title) - until I look at it in a different rotation - now I'm back to thinking it's Antoninus Pius

Basically, I'm really curious to see what comes out of the cooker - this is too vague to tell, so far.

Mark

BC Roman silver coin - serrated type - sent for provisional ID (Mike)

'cooking' it to remove crust

I'll need to see what results you have cleaning this one. It's not immediately obvious which moneyer, and therefore what year, this may be from.  I think it might be L. Roscius Fabatus, c. 64 BC.  That's one of the very last types of serrate denarius and is fairly common, having been part of a very large issue. 
If the theory I am working with is correct, your photograph of the reverse needs to be rotated 90º CCW - then it would show a "maiden standing right, feeding snake standing erect before her".

I don't find too many other seratti with seemingly 2 "parallel" major figures on the reverse.

Details of the obverse, if this is the actual type, should reveal Juno Sospita in goat-skin headdress.  I'm less certain about the obverse type here.

Too many questions at the moment to make any pronouncements - I hope some cooking will make details a little clearer, although I suspect that corrosion will have eliminated many details.

Mark

1stC Roman silver coin sent off for ID (John L)

'cooking it'

This is definitely a denarius of Domitian (81-96 AD).  I should be able to tell you a lot more about it, including being able to date it rather closely, once you have cooked it a bit.  It seems to have a "laundry-list of titlature" as the reverse legend, so it should be very closely dateable - but it's a little "occluded" at the moment and I'm not 100% sure what I'm seeing.  The reverse type is Minerva with spear - Minerva was a particularly favorite deity of Domitian's and appears on lots of his coins. I'll tentatively date it to 90/91 AD, but that might change when we can see more detail.

Mark

3rd C Roman silver coin - straight into cooker (John) - sent for provisional ID

19.72mm, 2.74g

There's not quite enough detail in the right places (close, though) to tell you with certainty any more than you already know - it's a billon antoninianus, and as such either has to date to the later 3rd century if official, or the mid-3rd century if a contemporary copy.

If that obverse legend turns out to read as it appears it might at this point, it would be a Gallic Empire piece from Victorinus - but on the basis of this photo, that's half guesswork at best.

Send me another photo when the obverse legend begins to become more defined and I'll tell you a lot more about it.

Mark 

Roman silver coin - in the 'cooker' to remove crust (Terry)

49 BC 'cooked' Roman silver sent for ID

Issued by JC himself, the elephant trampling (what?) a dragon-like serpent, or as some theorize a Carnyx (sp?), the serpent-like Celtic war-trumpet, or perhaps a battle-standard which flapped like a wind-sock from a staff-mounted serpent-like head, is more obvious as symbolism than the identity of the trampled item. The reverse shows a simpulum, sprinkler, axe and apex - the symbols of the Pontificate - as Caesar had been (or was still?) Pontifex Maximus.

These date to 49 BC and were minted in a northern Italian mint in the time prior to Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon.  They are one of the more accessible coins of Julius Caesar, although not a portrait, obviously.

Mark

4thC Roman silver coin - needs cooking to ID (John L)

I'll have a quick look through volume V of RSC a bit later, since silver of this era is so much more scarce then the silver of other eras that I am quite a bit less familiar with it all.  However, my first question would be - are you sure this is silver?

There does appear to be enough detail for a relatively definitive ID.  I'm not recognizing the name-fragment at 2:00-3:00 obverse, but that will be easily enough supplied.

You seem to be working a far richer area these days - in both the sense of numbers of items found and of the relative wealth of the Roman-era residents.

Mark

Roman silver coin - cooking to clean up (Jim)

32 BC Mark Antony, Legionary silver Denarius. ANT.AVG.III.VIR.R.P.C Galley, Legionary Eagle between two standards

This is a "Legionary Denarius" of Marc Antony, c. 32-1 BC. issued (it is assumed) from a travelling military mint in the vicinity of Patrae.  Created in enormous quantities to finance the military buildup of the Republican forces. Caesar's assassins were extremists in this group. This buildup led to the famous defeat at the decisive naval battle won by Agrippa's forces at Actium, after which Antony fled to Egypt where he and Cleo both committed suicide.

The so-called Legionary Denarii have as devices a war-galley rowing and/or sailing and an Aquila - a legion's eagle-topped standard flanked by 2 simple legionary standards.  The obverse names Antony as augur and triumvir, the reverse names a legion.  There were some 30 legions at the time and these denarii are known for the first 23 of them, although some are a great deal more commonly found than others.  This one, Legion 12, is one of the most commonly found.

These were struck in a somewhat debased silver and so remained in circulation - particularly in the outlying and Provincial areas - for a very long time due to quirks of Gresham's law. First they were too base to be accepted for conventional re-coining purposes, then when the Imperial denarius had itself been debased, they were hoarded as higher-quality silver.  Legionary denarii worn so smooth as to be barely identifiable can be found associated with coins and hoards as late as the Severan era in the early 3rd century.

Mark

2ndC Roman silver coin - into the 'cooker' to clean up - sent to Mark Lehman for provisional ID (Min)

At this point, it appears to be a Flavian - Vespasian (69-79), Titus (79-81), Domitian, (81-96) -  but I can't say much more at the moment.

Mark

I'm pretty sure I told you this was one of the Flavians - Vespasian or Titus most likely - and although I am still unsure which it is (I suspect it's Vespasian who has a similar issue from Lugdunum, but with a different obverse legend) the reverse is now clearly visible as a type copied from Augustus and Agrippa - Neptune standing left, foot on rock, holding dolphin and trident..

Unfortunately I don't have a really clear example of this reverse type on an official Roman issue coin, but I have this fairly close copy on a Limes Falsa As of Agrippa - http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album90/mark_agrippa_as_1

Okay, after doing some more research, I can  now be certain that it's Vespasian - the obverse legend should be IMP CAES VEST AVG P M COS IIII - which would match-up the "...AVG P M..." which we can see on the obverse in the correct place in the legend.  The reverse legend should be NEP RED, and although I can't be 100% certain from what's left on the coin, given the lamination issues, it appears that this reverse legend would work as well.
This would be from either the mit at Rome or Antioch (more likely Rome) 72/3 AD, and I would need to change the reverse description to "holding acrostolium" rather than dolphin, but the reverese devices came out really clearly on this, luckily.

Mark

PS - here's a pretty reasonably clear example of the same type in use by Hadrian 50 years or so later - http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album92/ML03_Hadrian_Neptune_sest

As dug

'Cooked' up really well

Cooked debased Roman silver coin - sent off for final ID now I have cleaned up obverse

Now that you have it more cooked, I can see what the major problem was with my original guesswork.  This isn't Tetricus or any of the Gallic emperors.  Although I still can't read the legend with any certainty, on the strength of the portrait, I'm 90+% certain this is Philip I "the Arab", 244-249 AD.  It also seems to be a higher-silver alloy than would be found in a Gallic Empire piece 20 years later. This alloy would be consistent with the time-frame for Philip.
Here's a very similar-style Philip portrait on a billon antoninianus - I don't have anything this degraded photographed at the present time, but I think you'll be able to see why I believe this is Philip.

http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album102/ML_24_Philip_I_Nobilitas_ant

Although any detail I thought I saw on the reverse seems to be gone now, it may be that the reverse is something like this SAECVLARES piece issued for the Millennium of Rome in 248 with a cippus - or low column or plinth design.

http://www.stoa.org/gallery/album102/ML_25_Philip_I_Saeculares_ant

Mark

This one is actually pretty easy.  First, it's a "Denarius Serratus" - the edge is notched or serrated.  Second, and more importantly, the writing on the reverse is quite clear - or clear enough to place it easily as an issue of Ti. Claudius Ti.f. Ap.n. Nero - or T. Claudius Nero for short.  79 BC.
That unclear obverse is a diadamed and draped bust of Diana right, bow and quiver over shoulder and SC to the right.
The reverse of Victory driving a biga right is extremely common, but the combination of the sequence number above and the clear TI CLAVD TI F / AP N below the exergual line is what makes it easy.

RRC 383/1; CRR 770; RSC Claudia 5 and SR 310 are the references.

Mark

'Cooking' this sucker for over 3 months and it is almost finished

This one is easy - it's a very nice specimen with clear legends and details -
it's Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD)  Obverse legend: M ANTONINVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX
The Reverse legend: TRP XX IMP IIII COS III dates it specifically to 166 AD. 
PAX (in exergue) Pax - or Peace - standing left holding olive-branch and cornucopiae could occur anytime as a popular general personification of a Roman virtue, but the obverse legend which titles him Victor of Armenia and Parthia would similarly date it to the period 166-9 AD even without the laundry-list of dated titles on the reverse.

References, RIC 159, RSC 435, BMC 401.

Mark