Rome, Silver Denarius, Augustus (Octavian) - 29 – 27 BCE - Roman Empire

Includes glass top display box. Size: 3.8g, 18mm Denomination: Denarius Authority: Augustus (Octavian), first emperor of Rome Mint Location: Unknown Type Number: RIC I (second edition) Augustus 272 Obverse Design: Head of Apollo, laureate, right Reverse Design: IMP CAESAR / Octavian, veiled and draped, driving a yoke of oxen right, whip in left hand The Roman denarius was an ancient silver coin that played a central role in the Roman economy from the late Republican era through the Imperial era. Originally, it was a high-quality silver coin, consisting of roughly 95% pure silver. However, as the Roman Republic transitioned into the Roman Empire, the silver content of the denarius gradually decreased in a process known as debasement. This allowed the government to produce more coins with the same amount of silver, which was primarily driven by the financial pressures of funding wars, infrastructure projects, and maintaining the empire's vast territories. As the silver content