I

Berichljen van de Rijksdienst

voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek
jaargang 27, 1977

AFKORTINGEN/ABBREVIATIONS
AWN

BABesch.
BAI
BH
Bjf
BfKjNOB
BRGK
BROB
IPP
JMP
JNG
JRGZM
NAFN
NAP
NKNOB
NNU
OML
RMO
ROB
VORG

Archeologische Werkgemeenschapvoor
Nederland (Archaeological Work Group of the
Netherlands)
Bulletin (van de Vereeniging tot bevorderingder
kennis van de) antieke beschaving
Biologisch-Archaeologisch Instituut, Groningen
Brabantsheem
Banner Jahrbiicher,
Bulletin van deln) (Koninklijke)
Nederlands(ch)efn) Oudheidkundige fn) Bond
Bericht der Romisch-Germanischen Kommission
Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek
Albert Egges van Giffen Instituut voor Pre- en
Protohistorie, Amsterdam
Jaarboek voor Munt- en Penningkunde
Jahrbuchfur Numismatik und Geldgeschichte
Jahrbuch des Romisch-Germamschen Zentralmuseums Mainz
Neue Ausgrabungen und Forschungen in
Niedersachsen
Nieuw Amsterdams Peil (Dutch Datum Level)
Nieuwsbulletin van de Koninklijke Nederlandse
Oudheidkundige Bond
Nachrichtenaus Niedersachsens Urgeschichte
Oudheidkundige medede ( e) lingen uit het Rijksrftuseum van Oudheden te Leiden
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden
Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek, Amersfoort
Verslagen en mededeelingen van de Vereeniging tot
beoefeningvan Overijsselschreglengeschiedenis

NOOT
Het aardewerk is op schaal 1:4 afgebeeld, tenzij anders aangegeven; de profielen van het handgevormde aardewerk zijn
wit, die van gedraaid aardewerk zijn zwart getekend.
Unless otherwise stated, the pottery is drawn to a scale of 1:4;
the profiles of hand-made pottery are represented in white,
of wheel-thrown pottery in black.

Staatsuitgeverij-'s-Gravenhage

ISBN 90 12 025666 4

Berichten van de Rijksdienst

voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek

Proceedings of the State Service

for Archaeological Investigations
in the Netherlands

jaargang 27, 1977

REDACTIE
W.A. van Es, J.F. van Regteren Altena, P. J. Woltering
enW.C. Mank
Adres : Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig
Bodemonderzoek, Kleine Haag 2, 3811 HE Amersfoort, Nederland

INHOUD

W.A. van Es and A.D. Verlinde, Overijssel in

Roman and Early Medieval Times
7
LJ.A.M. van den Hurk, The Tumuli from the
Roman Period of Esch, Province of North Brabant, III
91
P. Vons, The Identification of Heavily Corroded
Roman Coins Found at Velsen
139

W.J.H. Verwers, North Brabant in Roman and

Early-Medieval Times, II: The Merovingian
Cemetery of Alphen Reconsidered
165
Richard Hodges, Trade and Urban Origins in
Dark Age England: An Archaeological Critique
of the Evidence
191
H. Stoepker, Medieval Parish Churches in Northeastern North Brabant and Limburg, I
217
H.J.M. Burgers, A Pottery-Drawing Device 237

P. V O N S

The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman

Coins Found at Velsen:
An attempt at a closer dating of the early Roman settlement 'Velsen I'*

INTRODUCTION

COINS

During 1972 members of the AWN Velsen group1 discovered a new site of Roman archaeological finds in Velsen
(fig. i), i km southeast of the known site of Roman
refuse near the Velsen tunnel under the North Sea
Canal. The terra sigillata found there might date the
beginning of this new site to the time of Tiberius;
potters' stamps were found from the region of Arezzo2
of Cn. Ateius, Xanthus, and others. Originally the site
was dated c. AD 15-30, but some later pieces of terra
sigillata pointed to the possibility of Roman presence
between AD 20-5 5.3
The above-mentioned new site is called Velsen I in
order to distinguish it chronologically from the more
northwestern site Velsen II, which, also on the grounds
of terra sigillata,4 dates from the Claudian period. Since
1972 the AWN Velsen group, together with the IFF,5 have
undertaken excavations on the new site Velsen I. Abundant finds have appeared and many rows of wooden
posts and post-discolorations have been unearthed.
Until now no castellum has been located but a configuration of rows of posts has been exposed which indicate
that a Roman harbour had existed on the bank of the
ancient course of the River IJ. Roman water-wells found
in the vicinity of the harbour strengthened the suspicion
that a Roman settlement could not be very far away.6

From time to time bronze and copper coins were found

among other Roman finds. These coins are so corroded
that they have become 'lumps' of corrosion, and 'lump'
was a word commonly used by members of the workgroup. A few denarii, also heavily corroded, came to
light.
Excavations near Velsen II in 1964 and 1970 in the same
way produced heavily oxidized coins. In 1972, when
the first coin 'lumps' made their appearance and arretine
sigillata also appeared, it was of especial importance to
know in which period to place the coins to support and
complete the data based upon the finds of terra sigillata.
Perhaps a more accurate dating might be made at
Velsen I. The first coin 'lumps' found in 1972 were sent
to the Royal Coin Cabinet, The Hague, for identification. Unfortunately, the answer was negative. Corrosion
had damaged the coins so badly that they were unidentifiable. It was assumed that they were Roman asses from
the first or second century.7

* The Roman coins found at Velsen II are discussed in an

Appendix (pp. 158 ff.).
1 Archeologische Werkgemeenschap voor Nederland
(Archaeological Work Group for the Netherlands).
2 From Arezzo or a Gallic branch.
3 Glasbergen/Van Lith 1977, 14.
4 Glasbergen/Van Lith 1977, 5; Glasbergen a.o. 1974;

Bogaers/Riiger 1974, 30 ff.; Vons 1974, 64, 68 (Appendix II).

5 Albert Egges van Giffen Institute for Pre- and Protohistory, University of Amsterdam.
6 Schimmer 1977.
7 Information provided by the Royal Coin Cabinet, 12.7.72
and 21.8.72.
8 No. 7 on the coin list.

IDENTIFIABLE COINS

The disappointment of failing to identify these coins

faded after some years. In 1973, however a perfect undamaged aureus was found,8 struck under Augustus 14-12

139

BC in Lyon (Lugdunum; RIC 327). But such coins

remained in circulation throughout the Roman Empire,
so that this find, in spite of its magnificence, cannot
help to date Velsen I. Depending upon the site and the
sort of metal, less corroded coins sometimes appeared,
and thus research was undertaken on 9 September 1973
on a corroded plated denarius; it was identified during
research but it disintegrated after the investigations had
been carried out.9
A small, barely corroded coin, found in 1976, was identified by the Royal Coin Cabinet as Celtic, possibly
minted in England, and dated pre-first century AD10
(photographs la and ib).
NEW METHODS OF R E S E A R C H

As said above, at the Velsen II excavations in 1964 and

1970 'lumps' of corrosion were also found. With some
9 No. 6 on the coin list.
10 No. 61 on the coin list.
140

luck, two or three coins were separated from their coating of corrosion and this layer was partly instrumental
in identifying the find. A successful method seemed to
be to immerse the coin 'lump' in hot water and, after
expansion had taken place, to open it. In the spring
of 1975 this method was applied to a lightly corroded
plated denarius. The result was startling (photograph
2).11 The denarius was minted in the reign of Augustus
c. AD 13 (RIC 355). As a result of this success, coins
that had been discarded because research was thought
to be fruitless were examined once again.
The corroded 'lumps' were to be cut open and the coin
was to be extracted from between the front and back
layers of corrosion, even at the risk of sacrificing what
remained of the coin.
A coin 'lump' consists of two parts:
a a coin or the remains of one.
b the coating, sometimes thick, of oxide in which the
coin rests.
n

No. n on the coin list.

P. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

Experience, and the research already undertaken by the

Royal Coin Cabinet confirmed it, shows that with some
exceptions the remains of a coin almost never show
traces of relief, whilst the chance that the inside of the
corrosion will show traces of relief is not only greater,
but in terms of the quality of those traces, is far better.
The coin 'lump' has, therefore, to be opened in such
a way that the obverse and reverse layers of corrosion
can be removed in their entirety. Together they form
one whole, for the edge of the coin is also covered by
a thick layer of corrosion. The first task is to split the
corrosion around the edge of the coin by using a dentist's
diamond-powdered drill, cutting one or two millimetres
into the corrosion, not too deeply for fear of damaging
any letters still present on the edge of the corrosion layer.
When this has been successfully completed and after
much experimentation a good method was found, the
coin is sometimes immersed in hot water to which a
synthetic washing-lotion is added to remove one layer
of corrosion.
There was often little or nothing visible on the corrosion
layer because parts of the decomposed coin adhered to
it. Extremely careful and rigorously carried out cleaning
took place using dental equipment, a small bellows, and
a large magnifying glass on a stand, which left both
hands free. The layer of corrosion was laid upon a disc
covered with black velvet and illuminated with raked
lighting. Continuous turning and observation of the corrosion layer resulted in distinguishing a certain relief.
One disadvantage of this kind of observation occurred
in connection with letters which they appeared on the
corrosion, they did so in mirror image. Recognition of
the text was made easier by using the reverse lens from
the viewfinder of a camera. The observation of a layer
of corrosion is time-consuming and some remains were
often put to one side to be looked at a few days later
and then, suddenly, identified, in some cases by a small
relief.
Four possibilities can now be considered:
1 The coins seem to have been heated by fire and there
are neither visible traces on the corrosion layers nor on
the coins themselves; but a countermark can sometimes
be detected.
2 When the corrosion layers were forming, the coin
was already worn and there was therefore little or no
relief to imprint into the oxide.
3 There are clear visible traces of relief but the coin
cannot (as yet) be identified.
4 The often indistinct traces of relief of an image and/

or text are recognizable and the coin can be identified.

When the coin can be identified (point 4) it is important
to photograph it immediately because it is very brittle,
and storage can damage an already vague image, and
identification becomes impossible. Photography requires the combination of a good lighting technique and
the correct placing of the corrosion layer. In order to
reproduce the relief legibly on the print - for the mirror
image is photographed - the negative is reversed at the
printing stage, thus producing a print which looks as
though the coin itself had been photographed.
Photographs 3a, 3b, and 3c are good examples of this
technique. Photograph 33 is of a layer of corrosion without raking and little or nothing is visible. However, photograph 3 b has been taken with raked lighting; the negative was reversed and the word CAESAR on one side and
an X on the other are now visible, whilst the head of
Emperor Augustus is just perceptible (first Altar Series
RIC no. 36o).12
Photographs 3b and 3c are the same print, but 3b has
black lines drawn in to indicate the visible traces of
relief.
COIN INDEX

In this way more than sixty Roman coin 'lumps' have

been identified and photographed. Each identified coin
has been filed in a loose-leaf index where all information
regarding location of site, references, and photographs
are to be found (photograph 4).
Because of the difficulty in distinguishing unclear
reliefs, the photograph (where necessary) is covered by
transparent paper upon which the relief of image and/or
text has been drawn, so that the object as a whole can
be quickly recognized.

COIN LIST

A coin list was made based upon the coin book. The
coins are arranged according to denomination, and
placed in chronological order (date of issue), where this
information was available. Unidentified coins are listed
per denomination, and their numbers are recorded at
the end of the list.
12

No. 22 on the coin list.

141

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

L I S T OF R O M A N C O I N S F R O M V E L S E N I

found in the Spaarndammerpolder during excavations 19721976

The site is archaeologically known as Velsen I.13
i Abbreviations:
BMC
H. Mattingly, Coins of the Roman Empire in the British
Museum, I: Augustus to Vitellius, London 1923, repr.
1976.
Cr.
M.H. Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, 2 vols.,
Cambridge 1974.
FMRD H. Gebhart/K. Kraft (eds.), Fundmunzen der rdmischen Zeit in Deutschland,Abt I-VIII, vol. i-, Berlin.
RIC
H. Mattingly/E.A. Sydenham, The Roman Imperial
Coinage, I: Augustus to Vitellius, London 1923, repr.
RRC

2 Concerning the dates of issue in the coin list:

a The dates are of the issue period of the coins. A few coins
could not be directly identified and the mentioned dates are
those of the countermarks.
b The dates of the 'Lugdunum (Altar)' and 'Moneyers'
series are the same as those given by Wells (1972, 276).
3 The letter 't' given after a reference number means that
obverse and/or reverse of the coin are almost the same as the
reference number, however, not exactly. For example, the
denarius of Marcus Antonius (no. 5 of the coin list) is mentioned
as RRC I2i2t, because the number of the legion was illegible.
4 The photograph numbers do not necessarily correspond
with those in the coin list. The coin list is in chronological
sequence, whereas the photograph numbers are in sequence
of the opening of the coins and their identification.

E.A. Sydenham, The Coinage of the Roman Republic,

London 1952.

13 For the list of Roman coins found at Velsen II, see Appendix (pp. 160 ff.).

No. Issued

Money er/Emperor

Reference

Remarks

L. Procili
?
C. ConsidiNoniani
Ancus Marcius
Marcus Antonius
Marcus Antonius

RRCjji
RRCjSot
RRC8&6
RRCyiy
RRCi2i2l
RRC 12121

plated; cmk.
plated
plated
plated
plated
plated

Augustus

RIC 327

Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus

RICH
RIC 306
fl/C 239/265
K/C 355
,R/C350t
.R7C350
.R7C350

REPUBLIC

i
2

3
4
5
6

denarii
80 BC
77 BC
57 BC
56 BC

32/3 I BC

32/31 BC

AUGUSTUS

aureus

7
8
9
10
n

I4/I2BC

denarii
30/27 BC

13

25/22 BC
25/22 BC
2BC-AD 14
2BC-AD 14
2BC-AD 14

14

2BC-AD 14

12

142

plated
plated; cmk.
plated
plated
plated
plated
plated

No. Issued

15
16
17
18
19
20

Money er; Emperor

Reference

Remarks

Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus

RIC?
RIC^6o
RIC 360
7?7C36o
#70360
7?7C36o
RIC 360
7?7C36o
RIC 360

nemausus;half
altar I
altar I
altar I ; cmk.
altar I
altar I
altar I
altar I
altar I ; cmk. (2 x )

Augustus

7?7C368/370

altar lib or lie

or AD 14

Augustus

RIC 368/370

altar lib or He

semis
AD 10r l
or AD 14

Augustus

7?7C 3 6 7 /37i

altar II

Augustus

RIC 362

altar Ila; half

Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus

RIC 360/364/368/370
idem
idem
idem
idem

altarl,lla, lib, or lie; half; cmk.

altar I, Ila, lib, or lie
altar I, Ila, lib, or lie
altar I, Ila, lib, or He; cmk.
altar I, Ila, lib, or lie

7?7Ci89
7?7Ci86t
7?7Ci89t
RIC 193/194
7?7Ci86
7?7Ci89
7?7C 1 87; 190/193
7?7C 189/192/193 or 194
7?7Ci86t

Tresviri IVb
Tresviri IVb ; cmk.
Tresviri IVb; cmk.
Tresviri IVb
Tresviri IVb; cmk.
Tresviri IVb; cmk.
Tresviri IVb ; cmk. (2 x )
Tresviri IVb; cmk. ; half
Tresviri IVb
Tresviri IVb or earlier; cmk.14

7?7Ci86t
RIdS6t
7?7Ci86t
7?7Ci86t
7?7Ci86t
7?7Ci86t
RIC?

Tresviri IVb or earlier

Tresviri IVb or earlier
Tresviri IVb or earlier
Tresviri IVb or earlier; cmk.
Tresviri IVb or earlier; cmk. (2 x )
Tresviri IVb or earlier
cmk. : AVG

RIC?
RIC?
RIC?
RIC?

cmk. : IMP
cmk. : rosette; half
cmk. : AVG
cmk,: A V ( ? )

asses
p
IOBC

24

IOBC
IOBC
IOBC
IOBC
IOBC
IOBC
IOBC
AD 1 0-1 1

25

AD IO-II

21
22
23

or AD 14

26

asses
27

AD IO-II

28

lOBCor
AD IO-II

29
30
31
32

33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
4i
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
14

or AD 14
idem
idem
idem
idem

asses ; money ers' series

3-2 BC
M. Salvius Otho
3-2 BC
P. Lurius Agrippa
3-2 BC
P. Lurius Agrippa
3-2 BC
M. Salvius Otho
3-2 BC
M. Maecilius Tullus
3-2 BC
P. Lurius Agrippa
3-2 BC
M. Salvius Otho
?
3-2 BC
3-2 BC
Otho or Tullus
p
3-2 BC
or earlier
2
idem
p
idem
p
idem
p
idem
p
idem
p
idem
AD 14
?
or earlier
5
idem
p
idem
?
idem
?
idem

RIC 1^6

Probably Tresviri IVb, according to CAESAR countermark.

143

No. Issued

Moneyer/Emperor

Reference

Remarks

RIC?

cmk.: TIB in circle

RIC?

cmk.: monogram Germanicus; half

obv. head of Augustus; rev. Victory on cista (photo

6aand6b)
obv. head of Augustus; rev. bull charging r. (photo
7aand7b)
obv. head of Augustus; rev. Victory figure on chair
(photo 5a and 5b)

A U G U S T U S or T I B E R I U S
asses
54

AD2l(?)

55

or earlier
AD 15-17

Augustus or
early Tiberius
Augustus/Tiberius

AUGUSTUS
quadrantes
56

3-2 BC

57

3-2BC

GALLIC IMITATION
quinarii
58

28-26 BC

imitation of BM C 647?

59

imitation of RIC 327

60

2BC-ADI4

RIC 352/354

CELTIC
61

obv. horse with body of 2 concentric circles; rev.

bird with spread wings or swastika (?) (photo i a
and ib)

GALLIENUS
antoninianus

62

AD 260/268

plated (photo 93 and gb)

Gallienus

UNIDENTIFIED COINS

I denarius
19 asses
15 half asses
9 quadrantes
RECAPITULATION

plated with few traces of a quadriga; Republic or Augustus

(meantime identified: See No. 63)
of which ten burned
of which two burned; four with no oxide; plain without text or figures; one
nearly no oxide; three with few oxide
of which two burned (possibly i semis) one half
I
14
74
I

11
I
3
i
106
144

AUREUS
DENARII, ALL PLATED, TWO WITH MARKS
ASSES, OF WHICH 21 HALF AND 17 WITH CMK.
SEMIS

QUADRANTES, OF WHICH POSSIBLY ONE SEMIS AND ONE HALF

ANTONINIANUS
GALLIC IMITATIONS
CELTIC
COINS

After closing the manuscript the following rornan 'coin-lumps' of Velsen I are opened and identified:

No. Issued

Money er/Emperor

Reference

Remarks

RRC948

plated
plated

RRCi2i2t

plated

REPUBLIC

denarii
I38BC

63
64

48 BC

65

32/31 BC

Cn. Geli
C.VibiusC.F.
C.N.Pansa
Marcus Antonius

AUGUSTUS

66

denarii
i SBC
2 BC-AD 14
2 BC-AD 14
2 BC-AD 14

P. Petronius Turpilianus
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus

RIC 104/107

67
68
69

jo

dupondii
AD 10-14

Augustus

7?7C 362/366/370

71

asses
IOBC

Augustus

72
73
74
75

asses ; moneyers series

6BC
Volusus Valerius Messala
3-2 BC
M. Salvius Otho
AD 15-17
Augustus/Tiberius
AD 15-17
Augustus/Tiberius

RIC 3 50
RIC 350

350/356

plated
plated
plated

altar I

RIC 197
RIC?
RIC?

Tresviri IVa cmk Caesar?

Tresviri IVb
cmk.: monogram Germanicus
cmk.: monogram Germanicus ?

POSTUMUS

76

antomnianus
AD 259-268

Postumus

SeabyVolIV336at

plated

145

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

AUREUS AND DENARII, VELSEN

80
BC

77
BC

57

56 32
BC

BC

31 30 - 27 25 - 22 14 - 12
BC
BC
BC

AUREUS
07

RIC 327

DENARII
01

RRC771

02

RRC780
type

03

RRC886

04

RRC 919

05

RRC1212
type

06

RRC 1212
type

08

RIC 1
type

09

RIC 306

10

RIC 239
or 265

11

RIC 355

12

RIC 350
type

13

RIC 350

14

RIC 350

ANTONINIANUS
62

RIC 57
Vol. V

coin positively identified

type identified, but different dates possible

146

2 BCAD 14

AD
260 268

GALLIC

AND CELTIC COINS, VELSEN I

before

AES,

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61

EC
10

0.

A CD
2

12

10

14

16

18

20

Nemausus
Altar I

Altar II b,c

m M MI

M M

MJ

Mi

Ml

Ml Ml

Altar Ila
A l t a r I Ila b c
mm mi ma l mm mm i
mm m mt mm m mm l mm

ma

mM mi m mm mm

mm m mm <

mm

mi M Ml

mm mm mm*

-.

mm

._.

mm

Ml

Ml HI Ml

..-

Ml Ml

_.

Tresviri IVb

Tresviri

Ml
HI m m M

mm

m m Ml
m mm

m m Ml
ma m *

m M Mi

c m k . AUG
cmk. IMP
c m k . rosette
c m k . AUG
c m k . AV?
cmk TIB
c m k . CAESAR
quadrante

--

mm m mm
Mr MI
mi mm

Gallic imitatn.

Celtic

MX

<- -

Ml

) IB

m mm

MB 1 M Ml

M H

mm mm

mm mt m

MB * Ml

,-

C O U N T E R M A R K S ON R O M A N COINS, V E L S E N I
com type :

obverse :

Altar I

23

Altar I

iT B

28

Altar I or II

Altar I or II

34

Tresviri IVb
Agrippa

35

Tresviri IVb
Agrippa

37

Tresviri IVb
Tullus

// \'

unidentifiable

38

39

40

148

unidentifiable

Tresviri IVb
Agrippa

Tresviri IVb
Otho

Tresviri IVb"
half

C O U N T E R M A R K S ON R O M A N C O I N S , V E L S E N I
obverse:

obverse or reverse:

coin type :

42

Tresviri IVb15

46

Tresviri?

49

unknown

unknown

51

unknown; half

52

unknown

53

unknown

54

unknown
15

Probably Tresviri IVb.

149

C O U N T E R M A R K S ON R O M A N COINS, V E L S E N I
obverse :

obverse or reverse :

com type :

unknown
probably
Tresviri; half

18

unidentifiable

Altar I

47

2 small cmk's
unidentifiable

Tresviri?

Measurements countermarks

No.
23
23
28
3i
34
35
37
38
39
40
42
46
49
50
51
52
53
54
55

150

length x width in mm

9x
7x
8 x
10 X

9x
IO X
10 X

7x
12 X
II X

18 x

< 13 x
12 X

6x
8x
9 x
II X

8x
9 x

5
4
5
9
8
8
8
6
8
7
5
<5
6
4
<3
5
6
6
6

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

INDICATION OF A DATE FOR VELSEN I

From a study of the coin list, a number of points can

be made which might indicate the period in which the
coins were lost, and thus indicate the period to which
the Roman occupation of Velsen I belongs. Bearing in
mind that the number of identified coins, about sixty,
is quite small, caution is called for when drawing conclusions; primarily, because there are another forty coins
that cannot be identified.16
However, it will be assumed that the unidentified coins
fit into the scheme which has emerged from the study
of the identifiable material.
1 More than one hundred coins have been found
spread among a number of trenches and ditches on
terrain measuring c. 200 x 200 m (see fig. 2 Velsen I).
This distribution demonstrates that the find cannot possibly be a treasure trove.
2 Table III shows a comparison between denarii17
found in Velsen I with some other excavations of sites
of the Augustan age and a slightly older period. It is
striking that Velsen I contains a high percentage of
denarii compared with the total number of found coins.
TABLE III

03

C
OJ

a
Velsen I
Oberaden18
Haltern19
Oberhausen 20
Neuss-Sels21
Valkenburg 22
Hofheim 23

c
o

tH

03

'a
o

50

14
5-4
4-3
13
2.9
o

699

1.6

14

86

101

12

2IO

222

109

2421
301

3
i
i
-

2533

44
77
ii

2718
50

688

346

2796

16 Gebhart a.o. 1956, 54: 'Nicht genug kann unterstrichen

werden, dass die Berechnungen nur dann eine Beweiskraft
haben konnen, wenn eine gniigend grosse Zahl von Miinzen
vorliegt.'
17 Denarii including quinarii of the Republic, Augustan, and
early Tiberian periods (AD 14-21).
18 FMRD VI.5 Oberaden no. 5081.
19 FMRD VI.4 Haltern no. 4057.

If it is assumed that, a, Table III lists excavations in

various places where all the coins found were actually
handed in and, b, the relationship between circulated
denarii and bronze coins in the first half of the first
century AD did not sharply alter in any one period, then
it may be assumed that relatively more denarii were in
circulation in Velsen and Oberhausen than in other
places.
3 Table IV gives an interesting picture of a comparison between denarii24 from the Republic and from the
Augustan period. A third column has been added which
shows whether or not denarii were found from the
Tiberian period or later.
T A B L E IV

denarii
Velsen I
Oberaden18
Haltern19
Oberhausen20
Neuss-Sels21
Hofheim 23

Republican Augustan Tiberian or later

5

10

66
43
58
n

43
i
19
-

no
no
no
no25
yes
i

From a comparison of the denarii found from the

Republic and the Augustan Age (columns i and 2) in
the places listed in Table IV, it does not follow that
where more Augustan denarii were found the site is
necessarily later. Should that have been the case, Hofheim with 100% denarii of the Republic would be older
than Haltern with 61% Republican and 39% Augustan
denarii. The two left-hand columns confirm that denarii
from the time of the Republic were still in circulation
during the first century AD.
The third column is of especial importance for Velsen I.
In view of the relatively high percentage of the circulated denarii in Velsen I (see point 2) it might be expected
that had the site been active during the whole rule of
20 FMRD I. 7 Oberhausen 81 ff.
21 Strack 1904, 421.
22 De Weerd 1977.
23 Ritterling 1912, 113.
24 See note 17.
25 Except for a denarius of Severus Alexander (FMRD l.-j
Augsburg-Oberhausen no. ybn).

151

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

Tiberius (AD 14-37), then at least one Tiberius denarius

would have been found. 26
In Velsen I the latest denarii were of the Pater Patriae
type (four examples) issued under Augustus (2 BC-AD
14; nos. 11-14 n the coin list).
4 Plating
It is noticeable that the percentage of plated coins found
in Velsen differs sharply from that in other sites. The
following comparison can be made:
TABLE V

Total denarii
Velsen I
Oberaden18
Haltern19
Oberhausen20
Neuss-Sels21
Vindonissa 22
Hofheim 23

14
12
109

44
77
154
ii

Total plated
14
15
17
12
23

>I

27

%
100

28 BC :
20 or soon after:
19-15:
I o:
8 or soon after:
3-2:
AD 10ii:
14:

Nemausus la (small local issue only)

Nemausus Ib
Tresviri I, II
Lugdunum I (Altar)
Nemausus II
Tresviri IV
Lugdunum Ila lib (Altar); Nemausus
III
Lugdunum lie (Altar)

14
39
16
15
>IO

It is unclear why such a high percentage of plated denarii

was found at Velsen. However, it can be stated that
some denarii gave the impression of not being plated
and that a first attempt at cutting open the coins was
halted because it was thought that the coins were solid.
Subsequently, it appeared that the plated coins had a
much thicker layer of silver oxide coating than was the
case with other coins, and that coins categorized as solid
were later opened and all found to be plated.
The question remains how denarii from other sites were
established as indeed being solid.
(The question of plating is further examined under
point 8 'Denarii' in the addendum about Roman coins
from Velsen II).
5 Comparison with the 'Table of Bronze Coin Finds'
by C. Wells.28 Table VI gives a concise survey of the
26 Van Es 1960,27: 'The Tiberian denarius RIC 3 with Livia
(?) as Pax on the reverse was one of the most common types
and used without a break during the entire reign of this
emperor.'
27 Ritterling 1912, 113. Of the five Republican denarii, one
was plated. There is no knowledge of the other six from the
period of the Civil Wars.
28 Wells 1972, 268-9, Table I: Table of bronze coin finds.
152

'coin-find statistics from various sites' based on Table I

by C. Wells with which Velsen I is compared. With
regard to the date of issue of the listed coins in Table
VI, Wells comes to the following conclusion29:

Table VI leads to the following observations about

Velsen I.
a Nemausus coins are rarely found.
b The first issue of the Altar Series (Lugdunum I)
is relatively well represented, as is the Moneyers' Series
Tresviri IVb by the moneyers (III viri A.A.A.F.F.) P.
Lurius Agrippa, M. Salvius Otho, and M. Maecilius
Tullus.
The impression is that Velsen I was occupied during
a period when both the Altar Series I and the Moneyers'
Series IVb were well represented among the coins in
circulation. Various authors point out that it must be
borne in mind that coins minted in Rome, that is, the
Moneyers' Series, would require a long time to
penetrate to the northern outposts of the Empire and
reach the climax of their circulation.30 A period of
twenty-five years is suggested.
When it can be seen, as at Vindonissa, that of a total
of 2696 bronze coins, 476 (18%) are of the Altar Series
I and 488 (18%) are of the Moneyers' Series IVb, whilst
the figures for Velsen I are respectively 17% and 20%,
then it may be assumed that both types of coins had
29 Wells 1972, 276.
30 Wells gives an example of Haltern and concludes (1972,
282): 'Again we see that Italian issues showed no great alacrity
in reaching North Germany.'
Kraay 1962, 9: 'Es dauerte ungefahr ein Vierteljahrhundert,
bis sie ein wesentlicher Bestandteil des Geldumlaufes in den
Grenzgebieten wurden.'

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

Table of bronze coin finds*

TABLE VI

Velsen I

Republican
Local Gallic
Celtic

3
i
I
II

NEMAUSUS

Oberaden

Haltern

Oberhausen

Neuss-Sels

Vindonissa

I2BC-9/8

1 1 BC-AD 9

1 5 BC-AD 14/17

20/I5BC-C.AD35

AD- 1 7-1 00

I
3

4
403

73
660

III

10

517
47
30
65
44.
26
41

12

III

I or II
uncertain

32

33

Total

143

38

26

199

176

> 55

123

9i

476

Ila
lib
He
IIb,c
uncertain

3
5

5
135

69
47
274
250
200

Total

17

328**

127

239

1316

10
29

6
42

3
10

M
185

32
26

25
96

488
301

48

1 06

134

988

41

96

35

4
199

LUGDUNUM

(Altar)

Ia,b
IIa,b

s=27 3

TRESVIRI

(Moneyers) IVa,b
uncertain

9
7

Total

16

SC issues AD 1021 other Aug. incl.

unidentifiable
TOTALS AUG.&
TIB.tOAD2I
TIBERIUSAD2I-37

65

46

213

418

301

744

2696

42

1017

* Table I of Wells 1972, 268-9

** Wells 1972, 269, note t: about five-sixths are now lost, the remainder are all Lugd. I

153

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

reached their full circulation.31 However, on both sites

some coins of the Moneyers' Series cannot be specifically ascribed to a particular series.
The Moneyers' Series IVb was issued at Rome between
3-2 BC, thus, with the twenty-five year delay mentioned
above in mind, the earliest termination of Velsen I
would have to date from AD 20 in order to reach the
full circulation level of these types of coins.
Velsen clearly comes after Haltern, where almost 10%
of the coins found were of the Nemausus type and
where, above all else, seven times as many Altar Series
coins appeared than of the Moneyers' Series.
There were also more coins of the older dated Moneyers'
Series coins la, Ib, Ila, lib, than of IVa and IVb, whilst
Velsen produced only IVb series coins, of those that
were positively identified as being from the Moneyers'
Series. Oberhausen, dated from c. 15IOBC to AD 14-17;
18 is also earlier than Velsen. At Oberhausen the
Nemausus coins are well represented, moreover there
are relatively more Altar Series I coins found than
Moneyers' Series IVa,b coins. The latter clearly had
not then reached its full circulation. This would indicate
that the latest date for Velsen I, where the Moneyers'
Series IVa,b (as has been shown) did reach their climax,
must be considerably later than the end of Oberhausen.
On the other hand, Velsen I could be dated earlier than,
for example, Aislingen and Augsburg,32 both of which
began to flourish in the late-Tiberian period. There are
no traces of the Altar Series I at these sites, but the
Moneyers' Series coins are well represented.

6 The absence of the 'Provident(ia)' As.

According to some writers Tiberius commenced his first
large issue of bronze coins about AD 2023 with the Provident(ia) type.33 These have been found in large numbers almost all over the Empire. Of the 2696 bronze
Tiberian coins found at Vindonissa, 594 (22%) were
of the Provident(ia) type, and at Hofheim also a high
percentage (12%) were encountered.34 Neuss-Sels,
occupied between 20-15 BC and c. AD 35, produced 42
bronze Tiberian coins dated between AD 2137; of these
21 were of the Provident(ia) type (50%).
Provident(ia) coins are absent among the dated coins
from Velsen I. It would also appear that no Provident(ia)
coins were present among the unidentified bronze coins.
These measure less than 30 mm in diameter, whilst
according to BMC the Provident(ia) had a diameter of
at least 32 mm.35
The lack of this type of coin in Velsen I could point
to the fact that when the Provident(ia) coins came into
more general use and when they were therefore lost in
larger numbers, Velsen I had already been abandoned.
As Wells36 has observed, the Provident(ia) coins were
not only minted in Rome but also in the provinces. This
means that these coins could reach northern castella
more speedily than the Moneyers' Series from Rome.
Therefore less than the suggested twenty-five years
would be necessary, for them to reach their full circulation. Should these coins have arrived at Velsen I and
have been lost within ten years (a fairly reasonable estimate)37 after the date of their issue, then Velsen I must

31 Kraay 1962, 8: 'Da der Umlauf an Miinzmeister-Assen

schwerlich innerhalb von drei Jahren derart zunahm, muss der
Hohepunkt ihrer Zirkulation in Vindonissa friihestens in die
Zwanzigerjahre fallen.'
32 Wells 1972, 68-9; Ulbert 1959, 83.
33 Grant 1956, 108: 'Issued at one - probably more than
one Gallic or German mint, as well as at Rome, where at
least 420 examples have been found in the Tiber alone.' Gebhart a.o. 1956: '... die ausserst umfangreiche Kupferpragung des Augustus und Tiberius...' Ibid. p. 32 '...erst zeit
A.D. 22/23 setzt eine reichere Pragung des Tiberius ein.' Wells 1972, 277: 'The next major (italicized by the present
author) issue was one in honour of Divus Augustus, with the
legend sc and PROVIDENT(IA) on the reverse, struck not only
in Italy, but also, despite the legend, in the provinces, and
dating from about AD 20.' Ibid. p. 279: 'The real change in
the coinage comes, not with Augustus' death but after AD 20,
with the closing of the Lugdunum series and the introduction

of the 'Providentia' asses and other new types struck both at

Rome and in the provinces, Roman and provincial issues differing no longer in type, but only in execution.' - Kraay 1962,
10: 'Den nachsten grosseren Beitrag zum Geldumlauf liefern
die Providentia-Asse, deren Pragung vermutlich von etwa
Mitte der Zwanzigerjahre bis zum Tod des Tiberius, oder sogar
langer, dauert. Da Gegenstempel nahezu fehlen, darf man wohl
annehmen, dass diese Asse vor allem in den Dreissigerjahren
umliefen, als das Anbringen von Schlagmarken nicht mehr
iiblich war.'
34 Ritterling 1912, 104, 112, and 114.
35 BMC I, p. 141.
36 Wells 1972, 277.
37 It is difficult to imagine that an emperor would be content
with the fact that ten years were necessary for such an important
issue bearing his own image to reach the troops on the northern
front.

154

P. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

have already been dispersed by c. AD 30. This agrees

with Neuss-Sels that was abandoned in c. AD 35 where
twenty-one Provident(ia) coins were found. It is
interesting that of the coin 'lumps' found at Velsen II
which have been subjected to research, four Provident(ia) coins have already been identified. (See
appencix for the identified coins from Velsen II.)

percentage of Italian issues which are found is an indication of the lateness of initial occupation.
If Velsen I is added to this list, then the 22 Gallic and
the 16 Italian asses give 42% to Italian issues. If part
of Well's table is used and Velsen is added, the results
are:

7 The Closing Coin

The latest Roman coin which up till now has been identified at Velsen I, apart from the antoninianus of Gallienus (see paragraph 12), is the semis no. 26 on the
coin list, which is of the Altar Series lib or c, and was
struck between AD 10-14.
There is a later 'Gallic copy' (no. 60; photographs 53,
5b), on which the head of Augustus(?) appears on the
obverse and Victoria seated upon a throne on the
reverse. It seems to be a combination, the throne
resembles RIC 352 and Victoria resembles RIC 354.
The original Roman coin has been issued as a quinarius
between 2 BC and AD 14. It may be assumed that the
'Gallic' copy came into circulation later than this date.
This 'closing coin' does not, however, indicate that the
occupation of Velsen I ended shortly after the issue of
the 'Gallic imitation.'

Oberaden
Haltern
Neuss-Sels

8 Gallic Copper Quinarii (Kupfer-Quinareri)

Three Gallic copper quinarii were found at Velsen I
(nos. 58-60 on the coin list) (photographs 53, 5b, 6a,
6b, ja, and 7b.) Ritterling38 points out that these small
Gallic Kupfer-Quinaren were present in large numbers
in Haltern but not at all in Hofheim. He comes to the
conclusion that under Tiberius the Gallic copper coins
were not allowed to be produced any more and were
perhaps even prohibited.

6%
II"o

Oberhausen
Vindonissa
Velsen I

42%
51%
42%

Oberhausen and Vindonissa, both lying closer to Rome,

would have received a higher percentage of Italian issues
more speedily than the castella on the Lower Rhine.
The Velsen I percentage compared with that of Vindonissa confirms the idea that Velsen I was established
in Germanicus' time.
10 Half-coins
In Velsen I 22 half-coins were found, namely 21 AES
and one quadrant. It is striking that among the
undetermined half-coins there are four unoxidized asses
which are completely smooth (or perhaps blanks which
never were struck?). These four half-coins (asses) weigh
9.113 gr, 8.994 gr, 5.243 gr, and 3.108 gr.
A comparison with other places where bronze half-coins
have been found is given in the ensuing survey:
TABLE VII

Percentage of the total number of bronze coins

Oberaden
26%
Neuss-Sels
Haltern
24%
Hofheim
Oberhausen
31%
Velsen I

16%
n%
24%

9 Italian issues as a percentage of the total circulation.

(Well's Table II: 'Distribution of Republican, Augustan, and early Tiberian bronze issues').
In his Table II 39 Wells makes a comparison between
Gallic and Italian bronze asses found in several places
and that date from the Augustan Age to the Claudian
period. He attempts, with reservations, on the basis of
the percentage of Italian issues in relation to the whole,
to draw conclusions about the establishment of the settlements mentioned. He suggests, moreover, that the

11 Countermarks
A survey of the Velsen I countermarks can be found
on pages 14810 150. Approximately 44% of the identified
bronze coins are countermarked. However, the identification of a countermark does not always lead to the
identification of the coin bearing it.
Although various numismatists question the date of
application and the purpose of countermarks, in general
it can be stated that the Velsen I countermarks origina-

38

39

Ritterling 1912, 116,

Wells 1972, 280 Table II.

155

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavilv Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

ted in the Augustan and early Tiberian periods, as will

be later specified.
a The 'Caesar' Countermark
There are six Caesar countermarks of which five appear
in the Moneyers' Master Series IVb and the sixth on
an unidentifiable coin. Kraay writes about this kind of
countermark as follows 40 :
'The monogram CAESAR nearly always occurs on the
asses of the Roman moneyers of Augustus, the last of
whom may have minted about BC 3. This, at first sight,
might seem to be the approximate date of the countermark but since occasionally the same countermark
is found on later coins or stamped over later countermarks, the actual date of application must be postponed at least twenty years.'
Various numismatists 41 agree that the 'Caesar' countermark of Germanicus is from the period of his military
campaign of AD 14-17 in North Germania. Kraay, on
the other hand, wonders whether this 'Caesar' countermark could refer to Tiberius himself.42 In connection
with the geographical distribution of the 'Caesar' countermarks, it is interesting to add Velsen I to Kraay's
Table:43
TABLE VIII

Moneyer
asses
Nijmegen
Neuss-Sels
Neuss-Lager
Vindonissa
Hofheim
Velsen I

125
129
26
945
32
14

CAESAR

monograms
64
37
8
20
5
c. 6

/(>

50
29
30
2
15

c. 40

b IMP
The countermark IMP is, in general, viewed as being
Augustan. Kraay 45 observes that in Oberaden, which
ended in 9/8 BC, a coin was found with the countermark
IMP. Later authors think in terms of Claudius or Nero.46
c AVG, AVC, and AV.
A number of coins from Haltern (abandoned in AD 9)
which bear the countermarks AV and AVG, are listed.
These countermarks were manifestly still in use during
the late Augustan period.
d EUl and ( i ) With regard to this countermark, Kraay writes: 'The
countermarks TIB, TIB-IM and TIB-AVG differ from
Caesar in that they occur both on the issues of the
moneyers of Augustus and, though less commonly, on
the altar coins of Lugdunum. In addition to these two
main series, there are, as with Caesar, a few later coins
which bring the terminal date down to AD 22-23. '47

e VAR (photograph 8).

Coin no. 23 (Altar Series I) came from a Velsen I Roman
well that was constructed out of wood from a ship and
a large wine-barrel. On the obverse of this coin AVC was
stamped and VAR on the reverse.
It is generally accepted48 that this last-named stamp
belonged to P. Quinctilius Varus, who had been governor of Lower Germania for some years until AD 9, and
who in that year suffered a great defeat by Arminius
in which three Roman legions were lost. The countermark must have been imprinted during or before
AD 9. The coin gives the impression of having been hammered flat.

Kraay writes of this survey: 'The conclusion is clear

enough. The countermark was applied in lower
Germany and becomes progressively rarer farther
south.' 44 In the case of Velsen, the percentage does not
contradict Kraay's conclusion.

12 A Third- Century Antoninianus (Photographs 93

and 9b)
After coin 62, thought to be a denarius, was opened,
identification proved to be impossible because the comparative material had been drawn from the Republican
and Julian-Claudian periods. A visit to the Royal Coin
Cabinet surprisingly resulted in the identification of the

40
41
nur
42
43

44
45
46
47
48

I56

Kraay 1956, in.

BMC I, p. XXIX note 4; Kraft 1950-1, 30: 'So bleibt
Germanicus, d.h. die Zeit 14-17 n. Chr. iibrig.'
Kraay 1956, 122.
Kraay 1956, 119.

Kraay 1956, 119.

Kraay 1956, 117.
Haalebos 1977, 205.
Kraay 1956, 122.
Kraay 1962, 46.

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

coin as an antoninianus of the Emperor Gallienus from

between AD 260-268 (RIC 57 Vol. V).49
Although it is remarkable that a third-century Gallienic
coin should be found amongst Augustan and early
Tiberian material, it is striking that it was Gallienus
and his successor, Postumus, who were responsible for
the restoration of the neglected Rhine defences.50 In
c. AD 258 Gallienus stationed the Imperial Headquarters
and the Mint at Cologne. Moreover, it was Postumus
who must have been interested in a well-defended delta
area because of the presence of large rivers which served
as essential lines of communication between Gallia and
England, which were also under his command. In
Boersma's study 'The Roman Coins from the Province
of Zeeland' it is clear that there was an exceptional peak
of Roman coins between AD 268 and 273, and he concludes:
'Apparently after Postumus had been acclaimed
emperor in 260 he took immediate steps to build a
defensive sea-line in order to prevent the enemy from
overrunning the country.'51
Velsen would perhaps also have been involved with this
activity or at least would have been visited. It is feasible
that remains from Velsen I were still present in the
middle of the third century. 52
(In the meantime a plated antoninianus of Postumus
is found)
CONCLUSION
With the above in mind as a means of establishing the
approximate initial and terminal dates, deductions can
be made regarding the duration of the Roman occupation.
Establishment
If it is assumed that
a a Roman fortification was built at Velsen, and
b that this fortification played an offensive role in the
Roman Elbe policy,53 in the first half of the first century,
then Velsen I must have been established during one
49 Thanks go to Mr J.P.A. van der Vin, who immediately
identified the coin as being of the third century and consequently thought of Gallienus.
50 Van Es 1972, 53; Byvanck 1943, 573-82.
51 Boersma 1967, 76.
52 If the visitors had indeed the intention to check whether
a renewal and strengthening of Velsen was desirable, one might

of the military campaigns, that is to say a punitive

expedition, against the Frisians and the Chauci,
undertaken during the Augusto-Claudian period.
In view of known military campaigns, the possibility
of Velsen I having been established during such an
expedition can be examined. If Velsen I, like Oberaden,
Haltern, Neuss-Sels, and to a lesser extent Oberhausen,
played a role during the campaigns of Drusus, 12 BC,
and Tiberius, AD 4, then more Nemausus coins ought
to have been found, for only one half Nemausus-as (no.
15) has been identified with any certainty.
That Germanicus established Velsen I AD 14-17, is
probable. The Altar Series I is relatively well represented. It is plausible that the six Caesar countermarks
attributed to Germanicus41 might indicate that Velsen
I originates from one of his campaigns.
In Vindonissa, which also dates from AD 17, according
to Kraay,54 relatively many Nemausus asses have been
found, indeed. However, the supposition that Velsen
I was established in AD 17 is still credible. Kraay explains
why Nemausus coins still were found at Vindonissa but
not in the more northern castella.55 Point 9 supports
the supposition that Germanicus established Velsen I.
If Velsen I was begun after Germanicus' command then
the later campaigns along the Elbe, known from classical
literature, would be acceptable.
A late campaign took place in AD 28 during the Frisian
rebellion, when there was talk of a mysterious camp
called 'Flevum'. Velsen I would have already been
established, or begun, assisted by troops of the Upper
Rhine sent to relieve Flevum.56 These soldiers certainly
carried Tiberian coins, and lost them. Given the lack
of historical information about the period immediately
after Germanicus, nothing remains but to suppose that
Velsen I was established between AD 1417 by Germanicus on one of his campaigns.
Termination
i Whilst a high percentage of denarii circulated in
Velsen I, no Tiberian denarii were found.
If the first Tiberian denarii from Rome took fifteen
conclude that the tributary of the Rhine which passed Velsen
was not then silted up.
53 Van Es 1972, 29.
54 Kraay 1962, 8.
55 Kraay 1962, 25.
56 Such a supposition implies that Velsen I was not Flevum.

157

P. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

years 57 to reach Velsen and to be lost, then Velsen I

was abandoned in c. AD 30 or earlier.
2 No Provident(ia) coins were found.
If the Provident(ia) coins, which were minted in great
quantities in Lugdunum (Lyons) from AD 20-23, took
eight to ten years to reach Velsen, then Velsen I must
have been abandoned in c. AD 30 or earlier.
3 Table VI shows a comparison between Velsen I and
Oberhausen (15 BC-AD 14), and Velsen I and Neuss-Sels
(20/15 BC-AD 35). Velsen I appears to fall between the
two, that is to say from AD 14/17AD 30.
4 No countermarks were found from the middle and
late periods of Tiberius' reign.
5 It could be assumed that Velsen I was evacuated
in AD 2 8 after the Frisian rebellion of that year was crushed by L. Apronius, governor of Upper Germania. If
Velsen I was actually deserted in AD 28, the question
has to be posed as to how the area of the Rhine delta
downstream of Vechten was kept under control between
AD 28 and 40.5S It is possible that after the revolt of
AD 28 Velsen I was replaced by Velsen II. Subsequent
research on the coins from Velsen II will shed more
light on this matter.
(In the meantime this research has been completed and
is to be found in an appendix to this article.)
Given the foregoing points of consideration together
with the warning that only a poor indication can be given
by c. 60 identifiable coins, it seems likely that the period
of occupation of Velsen I began during one of Germanicus' campaigns in AD 1417 and ended in or about AD

30.

57 It is difficult to imagine that it would have taken so long

(fifteen years) for this coin, minted with the image of Emperor
Tiberius, to have reached the soldiers of the northern castella
in such considerable numbers that they could have been lost
and thus should occur in the coin finds. For it was in the
emperor's own interest that his image and the news of his
accession - information to which the representation of his head
and the legends on the coins were admirably suited - were
soon made known to all the troops. When the concept of 'coin
drift' is rejected, the end date has to be placed earlier.
58 It is hardly conceivable that Roman strategists should have
projected a castellum at Vechten instead of one somewhere on
the coastal barriers along the North Sea. By neglecting this
defence the Romans would not be in control of the eminently
easy route along the barriers, which penetrated behind the
Roman lines.
I58

APPENDIX
The Identification of Coins from Velsen II
1 Twenty-eight Roman coins found at Velsen II in 1964 were
heavily oxidized as were those coins found during the excavation campaign at Velsen I. Only one denarius and two dupodii
were exceptions.
A few coins had already been examined by the Royal Coin
Cabinet and the IPP,1 Amsterdam. The research was continued
by the author using the same methods as were applied to the
coins from Velsen I. Of the 28 coins, 25 could be indentified
(see Coin List Velsen II, p. oo).
2 The coins had been lost on the reedy bank of the ancient
course of the River IJ, then probably a northern tributary of
the Rhine. They were found distributed over all excavation
trenches. In one place (less then i m2) eight Roman asses were
found together, which supports the impression that these coins
were all lost at the same time and that either all or part of
the contents of a purse was lost (see 3).
3 The finds from the trenches were assembled for each square
metre. In trench E, square H 15 a (= i m2) eight asses were
found together. They are:
T A B L E IX

Number

Emperor

Denomination

3
6-9

Augustus
Tiberius
Caligula
Claudius

Moneyer Tullus
193
Provident
p. 95/96
Germanicus
44/45 or 46
Minerva
66

21
24,25

RIC

These coins could not have been lost earlier than the Claudian
period. Because both Claudian coins found were barbarous,
and if coin drift is taken into account, it is plausible that they
were lost after AD 54.2
It is striking that this coin find (treasure trove) consists only
of non-countermarked asses, without sestertii or dupondii.
4 Three Agrippa asses were found (nos. 10-12) which according to many numismatists are from the reign of Caligula.
Rodewald,3 echoing the opinion of a large number of numisma-

1 Albert Egges van Giffen Institute for Pre- and Protohistory,

University of Amsterdam.
2 Gebhardt a.o. 1956, 43 note 57: 'Anderseits ist zu fragen,
ob die barbarisierten Stiicke des Claudius nicht eher dem
Geldumlauf nach 54 gehoren.'
3 Rodewald 1976, 143.

P. VONS / The Identification of Heavilv Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

tists, agrees in placing this issue not in Caligula's reign but

in the last years of Tiberius.

8 Denarii
The apparently unplated shiny denarius no. i from Velsen II
was already identified in 1964 by the Royal Coin Cabinet, The
Hague (letter dated 28.5.64 no. 722 to the Institute of Preand Protohistory, Amsterdam). There was, therefore, no point
in trying to open this denarius just to see whether or not it
was plated.
After Professor J.E. Bogaers, University of Nijmegen, pointed
out how light-weight the denarius was (2.5122 gr.) and asked
if it had perhaps been plated, it appeared, after a small hole
had been drilled, that it was not plated. The Central Laboratory
of the Van Gelder Paper Works, Velsen, analysed the metal
borings and determined the specific gravity.
Their report dated 24.10.77 was surprising: S.G. 6.61, and 'The
coin is composed mainly of tin.' Thus it was not a silver denarius
but a shiny counterfeit tin 'denarius'. Subsequent research on
the coin showed that there were
a some pouring cavities, and
b scars, occasioned by the removal of the pouring channel,
on the edge of the coin.
The deduction to be made at present from all the denarii found
at Velsen I and II is that, with the exception of the abovementioned tin coin, all other denarii were plated. Moreover,
the Gallienic antoninianus is plated. If Crawford, in his article
'Plated coins - false coins,'6 is to be believed, then all denarii
from Velsen I and II are counterfeit. This is difficult to accept.
Velsen would then have been a place selected for counterfeit
silver coins. For in the middle of the third century, in the reign
of either Gallienus or Postumus, a plated, therefore counterfeit,
antoninianus was deposited by a visitor.

5 Countermarks (see coin list p. 160)

On the Germanicus as no. 19 (RIC 44) the letters .../VIM
(...LAVIM) are legible, preceded by space for two or three letters.
This is clearly the countermark TICLAVIM. It places this Caligula
as in the Claudian period. 4
On the Germanicus as no. 20 (RIC 44) the two letters CA are
visible, some more letters possibly being present on the obverse
and reverse.
6 In Table X the coins are arranged according to the different
possibilities, namely, in column B the two denarii are omitted,
column C gives the asses from the 'treasure trove', in column
D these asses are omitted; in column E the Agrippa asses are
added to those of Caligula (cf. paragraph 4), and, finally, in
column F the Caligula as with the Claudian countermark is
added to the Claudian asses.
7 The Minerva (Pallas) as no. 25 of Claudius, which is barbarous (identified as such by the form of the legend on the
obverse), clearly shows the double edge of Minerva's shield.
Banti and Simonetti write: 'In the series with Pallas advancing
in combat, a part of the British imitation is easily individualized
by the form of the shield, which in addition to the outer border
also has an inner circle.'5
Did this barbarous coin come from England?

TABLE x

Roman coins, Velsen II

Asses only
.
'Ga
a

-a
a
o
a

TS

T3

en
W

"

O
41

Arrangement
according
7?7C

Republic
Augustus
Tiberius
Caligula
Claudius
Total

treasure
trove
8 asses

'stray coins'

D( = B-C)

Agrippa
added to
Caligula

Caligula cmk.
added to
Claudius

3
7
n

4
i

10

13

12

15

15

15

7
9

3
7
n

25

23

4 See illustration of coin no. 19 on the countermark list p.

162. Kraay (1962, 48 note 30) dates this countermark as Claudian, whilst De Weerd (1977, 271) used it, among others, for
a more accurate dating for Valkenburg I.

5
6

Banti/Simonetti 1977, 26.

Crawford 1968, 55-9.

159

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

LIST OF ROMAN COINS FROM VELSEN II

No. Issued

Moneyer/Emperor

Reference

Remarks

?
T, Carisius

>
Cr. 464/2

mould tin imitation*

plated

M. Maecilius Tullus
Augustus

RIC 193
7?7Ci97
RIC 368/370

altar 1 1

Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius

7?7Cp.95/6
7?7Cp.95/6
7?7Cp. 95/6
7?7Cp.95/6
7?7C32
RIC32
RIC32

Provident
Provident
Provident
Provident
Agrippa
Agrippa
Agrippa

7J7C 30/31/32
RIC 30
RIC 30
RIC30
RIC 30
7?7C44
7?7C44
7?7C44
RIC 44/45/46

Vesta
Vesta
Vesta
Vesta
Vesta
Germanicus
Germanicus; cmk.
Germanicus; cmk.
Germanicus

REPUBLIC

denarii
i
2

BEFORE 89 BC
56 BC

AUGUSTUS
asses

3
4
5

3-2 BC
3-2 BC

AD IO-II

or AD 14

TIBERIUS

6
7
8
9
10
u
12

after AD 22
after AD 22
after AD 22
after AD 22
late Tib.?
late Tib.?
late Tib.?

CALIGULA

AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1

17

AD 3 7-4 1

18
19

AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1

Caligula
Caligula
Caligula
Caligula
Caligula
Caligula
Caligula
Caligula
Caligula

dupondii
AD 3 7-4 1
AD 3 7-4 1

Galigula
Caligula

7?7Cp.96/8
7?7Cp.96/8

Divus Augustus
Divus Augustus

Claudius
Claudius

7?7C66
7?7C66

Minerva
Minerva

13
14
15

16

20
21

22
23

CLAUDIUS
24
25

AD 4 1-54
AD 41-54

* See under Paragraph 8 'Denarii' of this appendix Velsen II.

160

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

R O M A N C O I N S O F V E L S E N II

EMPEROR
moneyer

REPUBLIC

before
80
REPUBLIC
1
?
2 T.Carisius
AUGUSTUS
3 Tullus
4 Volusus
5 Altar II
TIBERIUS
6 Provident
7
8
9
10 Agrippa
11
12
CALIGULA
13 Vesta
14
15
16
17
18 Germanicus
19
20
21
22 Divus Aug.
23
CLAUDIUS
24 Minerva
25

Craw.
den ?
den 4 6 4 / 2 RIC
as 193
as 197
as 368/370

TIBERIUS
14 . 37

AUGUSTUS
27 BC. AD 14
BC | AD

56

10-14

CALIGULA CLAUDIUS
37. 41

41 - 54

37. 41

41 - 54

cmk.

after
22

37

mm
mm

ma

b)

mm

__

as p. 9 5 / 6
as
95/6
as
95/6
as
95/6
as
32
as
32
as
32

b)
b)
b)
b)

mmmm
mmmm.
mmmm

m.
mm
mm

as
30
as
30
as
30
as
30 ?
as 30/31/32
as
44
as
44
as
44
as 4 4 / 4 6
dupp. 9 6 / 8
dupp. 9 6 / 8
as
as

mmmm
mmmm
mmmm
mmmmm

_
_

mmmm

--a)

TiNIM

- - a)

CA
b)

mmmm
mmmm
mmmm.

66
66

i: -__

b)

b)
2

11

(9)

2 (4)

161

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

CONCLUSION

With the omission of the eight asses found together (see paragraph 3), only fifteen asses remain - small number with which
to make comparisons with other sites and from which to draw
conclusions. However, it can indicate a trend. The renewal and
strengthening of Velsen I (Velsen II) was undoubtedly
undertaken in connection with the activities on the northern
frontier of the empire which was the materialization of the
ancient dream to extend the imperial frontier from the Rhine
to the Elbe.
The identified coins of column F, Table X, p. 159, together
with
a the peak of Caligula coins (12 out of 15),
b the operation of coin drift, if any, and
c the historical facts, means that Velsen II was established
during the reign of Claudius. The only possibility being that

Corbulo made use of it during his campaign of AD 47, and

shortly thereafter it was abandoned. That Velsen functioned
as a base for the conquest of England is unacceptable.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to thank Professor W.A. van Es, Mr

W.C.Mank,andMrH. Bloklander (ROB) for their cooperation, and Dr J.K. Haalebos and Mr M.D. de Weerd
for their critical reading of the manuscript. Special
thanks go to Mr J.P.A. v.d. Vin of the Royal Coin
Cabinet, The Hague, for the help and discussion which
took place in connection with coins that were difficult
to identify, and to Peter Gidman, Amsterdam, for the
translation of the Dutch text into English.

C O U N T E R M A R K S O N T W O C O I N S O F C A L I G U L A FROM V E L S E N I I
obverse

com type

NIM

Germanicus

reverse

Germanicus

20

Measurements countermarks

162

No.

length x width in mm

19
20

I5X4
?x6

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

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Photographs la and ib: Celtic coin (no. 61 coin list; no. 22

coin index).
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no. i coin index).
Photographs 33, 3b, and 30: Sample of a layer of corrosion
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the Emperor; reverse: Victoria enthroned, (no. 60 coin list;

no. 62 coin index).
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Photographs 73 and 7b : Gallic copy. Obverse: Head of Augustus; reverse: bull charging (no. 59 coin list; no. 51 coin index).
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I6 3

p. VONS / The Identification of Heavily Corroded Roman Coins Found at Velsen

5-3 ta* <.j

31
VIfJ>^tAATS:
>. FthE'J X
i :*or . Mfe-**
..(
IV T -Ji g

To be inserted into the Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het

Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek 27, 1977, between pages 164 and 165