Rome, Fourrée Denarius (Ancient Forgery), Emperor Severus Alexander - 222 CE - Roman Empire

Includes glass top display box. Denomination: Fourrée denarius, a forgery made during ancient times using a thin layer of silver around a copper core. The copper interior is exposed at 2 o'clock on the obverse of this coin. Authority: Emperor Severus Alexander Mint Location: City of Rome (for official examples of this design) Type Number: RIC IV Severus Alexander 5 (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