Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD) founded the Roman Principate and oversaw the most varied coinage programme of the early empire. His mints at Rome and Lugdunum produced gold aurei and silver denarii in quantity, while a network of provincial and local mints struck bronze asses, dupondii, and sestertii across the Mediterranean. Augustan coinage is distinguished by its political messaging: reverse types celebrate military victories, the establishment of peace, dynastic succession through Gaius and Lucius Caesar, and the divine associations that legitimised one-man rule. Portrait styles evolved across the reign, from youthful idealised busts in the triumviral period to the classicised laureate head familiar from later issues. Key catalog references are RIC I (second edition, Sutherland 1984) for imperial issues, and RSC/BMCRE for cross-referencing. Collectors will encounter the largest number of types from Lugdunum and Rome; eastern mint issues (Ephesus, Pergamum, uncertain Asian mints) are scarcer and harder to attribute. The denomination range is broad, from gold aurei at the top to tiny bronze quadrantes, making Augustus one of the most accessible and rewarding rulers to collect across every budget level.

Coin Types
349
Mints
13
Denominations
12
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