Roman coins are ancient coins minted during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. These coins were made from various metals such as gold, silver, bronze or copper and showed a ruler's portrait, religious symbols or other important motifs. 

Roman coins were not only an important means of payment, but also an important medium for spreading propaganda and promoting the cult of the emperor. Most Roman coins display the image of the emperor or other important figures, such as gods or victorious generals. 

Roman coins are still very popular today and are sought after by collectors all over the world. They are not only an important part of history, but also a symbol of the art and craftsmanship of antiquity.

The oldest Roman coins were cast from bronze. The so-called "heavy money" (Aes Grave) carried tokens of value related to the ace (= 1 pound) and the ounce (= 1/12 ace). However, these coinages proved to be very unwieldy in practice. The denarius as the main Roman silver coin had been minted since 211 BC in the value of 10 (later 16) aces. This Roman coin initially showed the helmeted head of Roma on the obverse and the riding dioscuri Castor and Pollux with the inscription ROMA on the reverse.

In the course of the 2nd century BC, moneyers (Tresviri monetales) were given the right to put their names on Roman coins and to determine the design of the coins themselves. They often chose motifs that referred to the glorious deeds of their own ancestors. These "family coins" with a multitude of mythological and historical depictions represent an extremely exciting and multifaceted field of collecting. Especially when they feature such famous names as SVLLA or BRVTVS. Gaius Julius Caesar received as the first Roman in 44 BC. The Senate granted him the right to put his portrait on Roman coins while he was still alive, which he made good use of. His allies and opponents Pompey, Brutus and Antony also appear on Roman coinage after his assassination. 

In 44 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar was the first Roman to receive the right to place his portrait on Roman coins during his lifetime, of which he made extensive use. His allies and opponents Pompey, Brutus and Antony also appear on the mintings of Roman coins after his assassination. 

With the end of the Republic and the beginning of the imperial period, the respective emperors and their families, consorts, heirs to the throne or co-rulers are usually found on coins. The monetary system continues to be "trimetallic" on gold, silver and bronze coins. The inscriptions feature the honorifics and offices of the respective emperors, with the year, and are easily to date (e.g., COS V = Minted in the Year of the 5th Awarding of the Title Consul / + “iteration figure”). 

In the late imperial period, the value and precious metal content of Roman coins continued to decline. Emperors such as Diocletian (284-304) or Constantine the Great (308-337) tried to counter this with coinage reforms and the introduction of new nominals such as the bronze follis or golden solidus. Ultimately, however, neither the decline of the currency nor of the empire could be stopped, and with Romulus Augustulus (475-476) the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire appears on Roman coins before he was deposed by the Germanic officer Odoacer.

The most expensive Roman coin ever sold is the so-called "Flavian Gold Aureus", minted during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. This aureus was sold at auction in 2002 for a price of $4.1 million. 

The aureus weighs about 8 grams and is made of 24 karat gold. The obverse features the portrait of Emperor Domitian, while the reverse shows a dove of peace holding an olive branch in its beak. However, there are other Roman coins that have sold for very high prices, such as the "EID MAR" denarius minted to commemorate the assassination of Julius Caesar, which sold for a price of $3.5 million in 2017.

Due to the large amount of different types, denominations and mints, as well as the relatively easy-to-use literature at the same time, Roman coins open up a variety of exciting collecting areas, even for beginners. In addition, there is the fact that the coins of the Roman Empire were not only means of payment, but were also used as a mass medium, which is important for collectors. They were something like the "metal newspapers" of the empire, on which the deeds and military successes of the emperors were perpetuated. 

So with Roman coins you're not just collecting coins, but also important events in history and immerse yourself in the exciting time of the Punic Wars, the conquest of Gaul by Caesar or the burning of Rome under Emperor Nero.