Rome, Silver Denarius, Emperor Macrinus // Jupiter - 217 to 218 CE - Roman Empire

Includes glass top display box. Denomination: Denarius Authority: Emperor Macrinus Mint Location: City of Rome Type Number: RIC IV Macrinus 73b (referring to Roman Imperial Coinage, the standard reference book for coins of the Roman Empire) Design: Portrait of the emperor (obverse) / Jupiter (reverse) 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 of the denarius decreased, it lost its intrinsic v