Details for denomination: Sestertius

The sestertius, or sesterce, was an ancient Roman coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small silver, and rare, coin issued only very occasionally. During the Roman Empire it was a large brass coin.

The name sestertius means "2 1/2", the coin's original value in asses, and is a combination of semis "half" and tertius "third", that is, "the third half" (0 1/2 being the first half and 1 1/2 the second half) or "half the third" (two units plus half the third unit, or halfway between the second unit and the third).

Copper alloy (brass, pale yellow when cleaned.)

As UK finds: Common AD 50s to 260s, especially 2 nd century

Weight: 15 g
Thickness: 3 mm
Diameter: 30 mm
Metal: Copper alloy

Latest examples recorded with images

We have recorded 5,640 examples.

Record: CORN-9859E1
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: Copper alloy sestertius of Sabina (AD 128-…
Workflow: Awaiting validation

Record: BM-7EDF37
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A copper-alloy Roman sestertius of Lucilla…
Workflow: Published

Record: BERK-7E78E8
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A worn copper alloy Roman sestertius of H…
Workflow: Awaiting validation

Record: BERK-FD035A
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A struck copper alloy Roman sestertius of …
Workflow: Awaiting validation

Search the database for all examples recorded.

Statistics for coins recorded

This will possibly highlight a lot of mistakes in data entry.

Diameter

• Records: 6,777.00
• Mean: 30.04
• Maxima: 130.00
• Minima: 3.00

Weight

• Records: 6,837.00
• Mean: 17.03
• Maxima: 221.25
• Minima: 0.58

Thickness

• Records: 2,940.00
• Mean: 3.85
• Maxima: 34.00
• Minima: 0.25

Quantity

• Total: 9,767.00
• Records: 9,675.00
• Mean: 1.01
• Maxima: 9.00
• Minima: 1.00

Issued by

• Caligula AD 37 - view all of this denomination issued by Caligula
• Claudius AD 41 - view all of this denomination issued by Claudius
• Hadrian AD 117 - view all of this denomination issued by Hadrian
• Antoninus Pius AD 138 - view all of this denomination issued by Antoninus Pius
• Galba AD 68 - view all of this denomination issued by Galba
• Tiberius AD 14 - view all of this denomination issued by Tiberius
• Titus AD 79 - view all of this denomination issued by Titus
• Domitian AD 81 - view all of this denomination issued by Domitian
• Vespasian AD 69 - view all of this denomination issued by Vespasian
• Nerva AD 96 - view all of this denomination issued by Nerva
• Nero AD 54 - view all of this denomination issued by Nero
• Otho AD 69 - view all of this denomination issued by Otho
• Vitellius AD 69 - view all of this denomination issued by Vitellius
• Vibia Sabina AD 128 - view all of this denomination issued by Vibia Sabina
• Trajan AD 98 - view all of this denomination issued by Trajan
• Lucius Aelius AD 136 - view all of this denomination issued by Lucius Aelius
• Faustina the Elder AD 138 - view all of this denomination issued by Faustina the Elder
• Marcus Aurelius (as Caesar) AD 139 - view all of this denomination issued by Marcus Aurelius (as Caesar)
• Faustina the Younger AD 147 - view all of this denomination issued by Faustina the Younger
• Lucius Verus AD 161 - view all of this denomination issued by Lucius Verus
• Lucilla AD 164 - view all of this denomination issued by Lucilla
• Commodus AD 175 - view all of this denomination issued by Commodus
• Pertinax AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Pertinax
• Didius Julianus AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Didius Julianus
• Clodius Albinus AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Clodius Albinus
• Septimius Severus AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Septimius Severus
• Julia Domna AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Domna
• Caracalla AD 198 - view all of this denomination issued by Caracalla
• Fulvia Plautilla AD 202 - view all of this denomination issued by Fulvia Plautilla
• Publius Septimius Geta AD 209 - view all of this denomination issued by Publius Septimius Geta
• Macrinus AD 217 - view all of this denomination issued by Macrinus
• Elagabalus AD 218 - view all of this denomination issued by Elagabalus
• Julia Soaemias AD 218 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Soaemias
• Julia Maesa AD 218 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Maesa
• Alexander Severus AD 222 - view all of this denomination issued by Alexander Severus
• Julia Avita Mamaea AD 221 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Avita Mamaea
• Sallustia Orbiana AD 225 - view all of this denomination issued by Sallustia Orbiana
• Aemilianus AD 253 - view all of this denomination issued by Aemilianus
• Allectus AD 293 - view all of this denomination issued by Allectus
• Aurelian AD 270 - view all of this denomination issued by Aurelian
• Balbinus AD 238 - view all of this denomination issued by Balbinus
• Carausius AD 286 - view all of this denomination issued by Carausius
• Carinus AD 283 - view all of this denomination issued by Carinus
• Carus AD 282 - view all of this denomination issued by Carus
• Claudius Gothicus AD 268 - view all of this denomination issued by Claudius Gothicus
• Diocletian AD 284 - view all of this denomination issued by Diocletian
• Florianus AD 276 - view all of this denomination issued by Florianus
• Jotapianus AD 248 - view all of this denomination issued by Jotapianus
• Gordian I AD 238 - view all of this denomination issued by Gordian I
• Gordian II AD 238 - view all of this denomination issued by Gordian II
• Gordian III AD 238 - view all of this denomination issued by Gordian III
• Macrianus Major AD 260 - view all of this denomination issued by Macrianus Major
• Laelianus AD 269 - view all of this denomination issued by Laelianus
• Maximian AD 286 - view all of this denomination issued by Maximian
• Numerian AD 282 - view all of this denomination issued by Numerian
• Pacatianus AD 248 - view all of this denomination issued by Pacatianus
• Postumus AD 260 - view all of this denomination issued by Postumus
• Probus AD 276 - view all of this denomination issued by Probus
• Pupienus AD 238 - view all of this denomination issued by Pupienus
• Quietus AD 260 - view all of this denomination issued by Quietus
• Quintillus AD 270 - view all of this denomination issued by Quintillus
• Regalianus AD 260 - view all of this denomination issued by Regalianus
• Tacitus AD 275 - view all of this denomination issued by Tacitus
• Tetricus I AD 271 - view all of this denomination issued by Tetricus I
• Tetricus II AD 272 - view all of this denomination issued by Tetricus II
• Decius AD 249 - view all of this denomination issued by Decius
• Trebonianus Gallus AD 251 - view all of this denomination issued by Trebonianus Gallus
• Vaballathus AD 271 - view all of this denomination issued by Vaballathus
• Valerian (emperor) AD 253 - view all of this denomination issued by Valerian (emperor)
• Victorinus AD 269 - view all of this denomination issued by Victorinus
• Volusianus AD 251 - view all of this denomination issued by Volusianus
• Gallienus (Joint reign) AD 253 - view all of this denomination issued by Gallienus (Joint reign)
• Gallienus (sole reign) AD 260 - view all of this denomination issued by Gallienus (sole reign)
• Marcus Aurelius (as Augustus) AD 161 - view all of this denomination issued by Marcus Aurelius (as Augustus)
• Marcus Aurelius Marius AD 269 - view all of this denomination issued by Marcus Aurelius Marius
• Maximinus Thrax AD 235 - view all of this denomination issued by Maximinus Thrax
• Philip the Arab AD 244 - view all of this denomination issued by Philip the Arab
• Annia Faustina AD 220 - view all of this denomination issued by Annia Faustina
• Agrippina the Elder 14 BC - view all of this denomination issued by Agrippina the Elder
• Agrippina the Younger AD 15 - view all of this denomination issued by Agrippina the Younger
• Antonia Minor AD 41 - view all of this denomination issued by Antonia Minor
• Bruttia Crispina AD 178 - view all of this denomination issued by Bruttia Crispina
• Domitia Longina AD 81 - view all of this denomination issued by Domitia Longina
• Didia Clara AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Didia Clara
• Diadumenian AD 217 - view all of this denomination issued by Diadumenian
• Domitianus II (usurper) AD 271 - view all of this denomination issued by Domitianus II (usurper)
• Domitilla the Elder AD 39 - view all of this denomination issued by Domitilla the Elder
• Cornelia Supera AD 249 - view all of this denomination issued by Cornelia Supera
• Herennia Etruscilla AD 249 - view all of this denomination issued by Herennia Etruscilla
• Herennius Etruscus AD 250 - view all of this denomination issued by Herennius Etruscus
• Hostilian AD 251 - view all of this denomination issued by Hostilian
• Julian (of Pannonia) AD 284 - view all of this denomination issued by Julian (of Pannonia)
• Julia Flavia AD 79 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Flavia
• Magnia Urbica AD 283 - view all of this denomination issued by Magnia Urbica
• Manlia Scantilla AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Manlia Scantilla
• Ulpia Marciana AD 112 - view all of this denomination issued by Ulpia Marciana
• Mariniana AD 253 - view all of this denomination issued by Mariniana
• Salonina Matidia AD 112 - view all of this denomination issued by Salonina Matidia
• Nigrinian AD 283 - view all of this denomination issued by Nigrinian
• Marcia Otacilia Severa AD 245 - view all of this denomination issued by Marcia Otacilia Severa
• Paulina AD 235 - view all of this denomination issued by Paulina
• Pescennius Niger AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Pescennius Niger
• Philip II AD 247 - view all of this denomination issued by Philip II
• Pompeia Plotina AD 112 - view all of this denomination issued by Pompeia Plotina
• Cornelia Salonina AD 253 - view all of this denomination issued by Cornelia Salonina
• Saloninus AD 258 - view all of this denomination issued by Saloninus
• Ulpia Severina AD 270 - view all of this denomination issued by Ulpia Severina
• Silbannacus AD 244 - view all of this denomination issued by Silbannacus
• Tranquillina AD 241 - view all of this denomination issued by Tranquillina
• Valentinian II AD 375 - view all of this denomination issued by Valentinian II
• Valerian II AD 256 - view all of this denomination issued by Valerian II
• Tranquillina AD 225 - view all of this denomination issued by Tranquillina
• Maximus Caesar AD 235 - view all of this denomination issued by Maximus Caesar
• Julia Aquilia Severa AD 220 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Aquilia Severa
• Julia Paula AD 219 - view all of this denomination issued by Julia Paula
• Flavian (uncertain) AD 69 - view all of this denomination issued by Flavian (uncertain)
• Antonine (uncertain) AD 138 - view all of this denomination issued by Antonine (uncertain)
• Civil War (coinage) AD 69 - view all of this denomination issued by Civil War (coinage)
• Uncertain - 1st/2nd Century AD AD 1 - view all of this denomination issued by Uncertain - 1st/2nd Century AD
• Julio-Claudian (uncertain) 27 BC - view all of this denomination issued by Julio-Claudian (uncertain)
• Severan (uncertain) AD 193 - view all of this denomination issued by Severan (uncertain)
• Uncertain - 1st-mid 3rd century AD 1 - view all of this denomination issued by Uncertain - 1st-mid 3rd century
• Dryantilla AD 260 - view all of this denomination issued by Dryantilla
• Saturninus AD 280 - view all of this denomination issued by Saturninus
• Domitius Domitianus AD 297 - view all of this denomination issued by Domitius Domitianus
• Radiate (uncertain) AD 275 - view all of this denomination issued by Radiate (uncertain)