Officinae
The Roman Worshop System at the Mint
Often, the mints used to produce Roman coins were divided into several workshops that shared the duties of coin production.
Officina
A branch-mint within an ancient Roman city. Rather than having a single, central location for "the Mint", Roman mints were often split up into numerous "cottage mints" throughout the city. A large city might have over a dozen officinae.
Officina Numbers
1st
I, P (for prima), PRIMA, A (alpha), OFF P (officina prima) ...
Officina
A word usually used to indicate one of a number of workshops within a mint. They are often identified by individual features of types, legends or mint marks.
Officinae
pellet ASIS pellet 319 I on altar for off. A and B; S on altar for off. G, D and E
81 ...
Officina mintmarks of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian at Siscia (289-290 AD)
The unique use of the Jovian and Herculian titles to indicate officina numbers
...
part of M, cross and officina B below bust at 90% angle/M, cross above, star left, ? rt., CON in exergue, Constantinople mint, SB62. Near centered, legend weak but readable, overstriking clear on obv., rt. side and exergue weak rev.
Mint: Constantinople, 2nd officina.
Reference: Sear-345
Size: 21.3 x 21.7 mm. Weight: 4.46 grams.
Grade: gVF, but with a few scratches in the upper right of the reverse. On a very broad flan, very well centered.
These symbols may refer to the officina (workshop at a given mint - officina mark) the coin was produced by, may refer to a particular production run of a coin series (series mark) or may mean something as yet unknown.
2nd - one to four letters representing the mint.
3rd - a single letter indicating the Officina or workshop. In the Latin system, the officina was indicated by A = prima or 1st officina, B = secunda or 2nd, C = tertia or 3rd, etc.
Rome, AD 240 (8th Issue, 6th Officina). IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, Radiate bust right, draped & cuirassed / P M TR P III COS P P, Gordian standing left, holding a patera over an altar with right hand. Left hand holds a baton.
(6 examples) ...
Constantinople mint, 10th officina. Struck 527-538. Obverse: Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield. Reverse: Angel standing facing, holding long cross and globus cruciger; star to right; CONOB. D.O.
been taken to differentiate the issues of silver coins at the Athenian mint are further exemplified by the addition, beneath the amphora, of various initial letters of doubtful import; thought by some to stand for the names of the various officinae ...
RIC VIII-154 (Rome), officina not listed
Type:
Spring 360 - Jun 26 363 (Constantius II) Siliqua ...
Translation : "Pax Augusti, Siscia, prima officina", (La Paix de l'auguste, monnaie de Siscia, première officine).
letters and/or symbols indicating the place of mintage of a coin, and sometimes the workshop (officina) responsible for the coins production.
Modius ...
It may be preceded by a letter or two, and often followed by a letter indicating what officina (workshop) the coin was minted in. This page has only given a brief overview of identifying Roman coins.
This was always true but even more in the later empire. Below is SMAN (Epsilon) which is the mint mark and designated this coin as being minted by the city of Antioch and produced in the 5th officina or mint workshop.
 See also: Reverse, Revers, Mint, Bust, Legend
  
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