Fouree Denarius of Vespasian cf RIC 98(a)

Fouree Denarius (18mm 2.36g)

Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Laureate head right

Rev: COS VII Eagle standing on cippus, head right

Cf. RIC II 98(a)
ex. Antonio Hinojosa Collection

This specific coin is an ancient piece of Roman history, carrying two separate, fascinating stories. The first is about Emperor Vespasian trying to fix a broken Roman Empire, and the second is about the shady world of ancient counterfeiting.

1. The Emperor: Vespasian and the Eagle

The coin's official design dates back to around 76 AD, during the reign of Emperor Vespasian.

To understand why this design matters, we have to look at what Rome had just gone through:

• The Chaos: In 69 AD, Rome suffered through a massive civil war known as the "Year of the Four Emperors." The infamous Emperor Nero had committed suicide, and three different generals grabbed the throne and were killed in less than a year.
• The Fixer: Vespasian was a gritty, no-nonsense military general who finally stabilized the empire and started the Flavian Dynasty.
• The Message: The back (reverse) of this coin shows an eagle standing on a cippus (a small stone pillar) along with the text COS VII (meaning it was struck during his seventh time serving as Consul). The eagle was the ultimate symbol of the Roman legions and Jupiter, the king of the gods. By putting the military eagle on his money, Vespasian was reminding everyone: "The army is backing me, stability is back, and Rome is strong again."

2. The Twist: It’s a "Fourrée" (An Ancient Fake)

The most exciting thing about this specific coin from the collection link is that it isn't made of solid silver. It is a Fourrée (pronounced foo-RAY).

A fourrée is an ancient counterfeit. Instead of being solid silver like a real Roman denarius, it has a cheap base-metal core (usually copper or bronze) wrapped in a very thin foil layer of precious silver.

• The Weight Giveaway: A normal silver denarius from this era usually weighed around 3.2 to 3.4 grams. This specific coin only weighs 2.36 grams. Because copper is lighter than silver, it just couldn't match the weight of the real thing.
• Who Made It? There are two big theories among historians about who made fourrées:
  1. Shady Citizens: Regular illegal counterfeiters working in secret workshops to pass off fake change at local markets.
  2. The Government Itself: Sometimes, when the Roman treasury ran out of silver to pay the army or build projects (like Vespasian's Colosseum!), official mint workers might secretly stretch the silver supply by plating base metals.

When you look closely at this coin today, the silver plating has begun to wear away or break, letting the dark copper core peek through. It is a literal piece of a 2,000-year-old financial crime scene!