# What did the Roman dollar and cent signs look like?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-roman-dollar-and-cent-signs-look-like/49221>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 9, 2001, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-roman-dollar-and-cent-signs-look-like/49221 "2001-01-09T21:32:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![TwoBuyFour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/76d3ee/32.png) [@TwoBuyFour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoBuyFour)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-roman-dollar-and-cent-signs-look-like/49221/21 "2001-01-12T23:48:30Z")

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bibliophage wrote:  
The only two Roman coins I know of are:

1. the as (plural asses), originally worth a pound of copper, but later worth much less.  
So, how many Roman asses could I have gotten with a pound of copper? Just one? Or would I have needed to offer silver or gold?

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**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2001, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-the-roman-dollar-and-cent-signs-look-like/49221/22 "2001-01-13T07:37:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Arjuna34 \*  
> \*\*As **bibliophage** said, the _denarius_ and _as_ were popular coins, as well as the _sestertius_ and _aureus_, and later the _solidus_.
> 
> The _denarius_ and _as_ were the most common coins.\*\*

While the above is correct, there were other Roman coin denominations as well. Most were either far less common denominations, and/or appeared later in the history of the Roman Empire:

**Antoninianus** : Basically a debased (very low silver content–somtimes copper with a silver wash) denarius. Invented during the third century A.D.

**Dupondius** : A large bronze coin struck in during the time of the Early Empire (the Twelve Caesars)

**Follis** : Bronze coin. Don’t know it’s value, but it was more common in the later periods of the Roman Empire.

**Quadrans** : Very small bronze coin. Don’t know about it’s relative worth.

**Quinarius** : Small silver coin, 1/2 the value of a denarius.

**Semis** : Bronze coin. 1/2 the value of an as.

**Siliqua** : Small silver coin. Don’t know it’s relative worth.

There are others, too. But they aren’t coming to mind at the moment.

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