ROMAN COINS. 
7 
money. In the inscriptions titles are much abbreviated, as IMP 
for Imperator, which, when it precedes a name, implies supreme 
power, but following a name is only a military title. From the 
time of Constantine D.N. (I)ominus Noster) is used at the begin¬ 
ning of the inscription in place of IMP. CAES stands lor Caesar, 
AVG for Augustus, P.M. for Pontifex Maximus, P.P. for Pater 
Patriae, TR.POT or TR.P. for Tribunicia Potestas, meaning 
Tribunician Power and COS for Consul. The numerals after 
each denote the number of years the office has been held, enabling 
the date of the coin to be ascertained. On reverses, the letters S.C. 
stand for Senatus Consulto (by the authority of the Senate) and 
S.P.Q.R. for Senatus Populusque Romanus. In the base are 
letters indicating where the coin was minted as S.M.R. (Signata 
Moneta Roma) for Rome, P.TR for Treves, CON for Constanti¬ 
nople. Other letters following as A and B are considered to 
signify respectively the ist and 2nd mintage. 
Camden mentions a coin of Severus bearing on the reverse 
“ COL. EBORACVM LEGIO VI VICTRIX.” That there 
is such a coin is doubtful, and its existence is now unknown. 
Drake considers that the coins of Severus bearing the title 
Britannicus were minted at York. “ It cannot be imagined but 
that the mint attended the imperial court; for no sooner was a 
great action performed but the whole empire was made acquainted 
with it, by some signal reverse stamped immediately upon the 
currenc coin.” 1 So far, no Roman coins have been found that 
can, with certainty, be attributed to York. Coins bearing PLON 
for London exist; these belong to the family of Constantine the 
Great. Carausius and Allectus had coins struck at Colchester (C) 
as well as at London (ML). 
The obverses are filled with a portrait of the Emperor, the first 
portrait on a Roman coin being that of Julius Caesar. The 
reverses contain an allegorical or military subject surrounded by 
the legend. The great variety of subjects and legends on the 
reverses make the study of Roman coins very instructive. 
Gold coins have been presented to the Museum, as follows: — 
1833— Gratianus, \ /T alens, and Valentianus, by W. C. Maxwell; 
1834— Honorius, found at Kirby Knowle, by C. Elsley ; 1838— 
Arcadius, found at New Buildings, Thirsk, by C. Elsley; 1840— 
Carinus, by C. Wellbeloved ; 1873—Constantius II. (21), found in 
1 Drake, “ Eboracum,” p. 61. 
