Speaker
Description
While the study of terrestrial coin assemblages has a long-standing history within the discipline of numismatics, coin assemblages occurring on shipwreck sites represent a resource that has yet to receive comparable examination. Although the term “hoard” is inclusive of coin assemblages found on shipwreck sites, their limited presence within prominent coin hoard databases is reflective of the challenges associated with documentation. Despite the current disposition, coin assemblages found on shipwreck sites offer a unique opportunity to expand the present inventory of coin hoards, while also providing a perspective on the contemporary use and geographical mobility of coins rarely offered by terrestrial coin assemblages. This poster presents the geographical dispersion of coin assemblages found on shipwreck sites within the Mediterranean Sea, classified by Hellenistic, Roman Republic, Roman Imperial and Byzantine periods. Furthermore, the potential contribution of such coin assemblages to circulation mapping and the reconstruction of the maritime economy is discussed.
