Roman Tessera “Modius & Kantharos” — with Certificate of Authenticity

Within the particularly sought-after family of small anonymous copper-alloy issues, commonly described as quadrans or tessera and generally placed, according to cataloguing tradition, within a horizon ranging from the late 1st century to the mid-2nd century AD, this specimen stands out for the evocative strength of an iconographic pairing that is at once simple, immediately legible, and eloquently “speaking” to the collector: the modius (grain measure) filled with three ears of wheat and the kantharos (wine vessel). This combination is specifically recorded in the cited references (Cohen VIII 55; Göbl 100; Mazzini pl. LXXIX, 55; Lambros 1612) and is regularly described as rare in market notices and comparative auction archives.

Analysis & Expertise

Careful observation under ×10 magnification and raking light, applied to the provided photographs with sustained attention to the topography of the reliefs, the behavior of the fields, and the overall coherence of the flan, highlights on the modius side a “measure”-type container with a clearly structured body. Its surface displays a granular material texture and micro-topography that catch the light discontinuously, while above the upper rim three upright ears of grain appear. Although partially softened by circulation, their silhouettes remain sufficiently individualized to support a secure reading of the expected motif and to align it, by typological concordance, with published descriptions for this series.

On the kantharos side, examination reveals a drinking vessel with high handle(s), one of which, clearly visible, forms a broad arc with a characteristic upper return. The cup and its foot, though marked by slight areas of smoothing and by minor surface irregularities typical of ancient copper alloys, retain their essential geometry, thus offering the immediate recognition of the kantharos as defined in ancient ceramic and iconographic tradition — a vessel deeply associated with the sphere of wine and ritual conviviality.

The metallic surface, golden to brown in appearance, with warmer nuances in places and small chromatic heterogeneities readable as the normal life of an ancient copper alloy, presents a visually stable and coherent patina across the fields. The flan, noticeably irregular — with some thicker peripheral zones and slight edge flattenings — retains a very “authentic” material presence, consistent with what is frequently observed on small-module anonymous tesserae, whose manufacture and use favored practical circulation over geometric perfection.

Finally, the absence of a clearly legible legend on the photographs, combined with the fully “type-based” character of both motifs, accords entirely with the documentary habitus of this series, often described as anepigraphic and regularly classified among anonymous groups attributed, by typological caution, to a broad period extending from Domitian to Antoninus Pius according to numismatic cataloguing practice.

Characteristics

Usual denomination and cataloguing date: Anonymous quadrans or tessera, generally placed in the range c. AD 96–161 according to comparative catalogues and auction archives.

Metal and module: Copper alloy (Æ), 17.5 mm, 3.26 g; metric values reported for this specimen and consistent with the orders of magnitude observed on close comparanda.

Type, modius side: Modius (measure) containing three ears of grain, a distinctly agricultural and annona-related motif.

Type, kantharos side: Kantharos (drinking vessel), motif explicitly attested in notices describing this iconographic pairing.

References: Cohen VIII 55; Göbl 100; Mazzini pl. LXXIX, 55; Lambros 1612 — a set of references regularly cited in collection and market descriptions for this type.

Rarity: Type frequently noted as rare in commercial notices and auction archives.

Historical Context

In Imperial Rome of the 1st–2nd centuries, monetary and para-monetary circulation included auxiliary objects — tesserae, tokens, anonymous small bronzes — whose exact function could vary according to context, but whose iconography often revolved around a vocabulary of subsistence and abundance. The modius filled with ears of grain, an image of concrete measurement and promise of supply, naturally fits within the imagery of the Annona and distributions, while the kantharos, a wine vessel, introduces a symbolic counterpoint linked to conviviality, the table, and social ritual.

It is further established through documented auction records that tesserae bearing the modius / kantharos pairing are among the few types for which an archaeological context has been discussed, several specimens having been reported in 1st–2nd century contexts at Lepcis Magna in North Africa. This valuable information, without transforming the piece into a “site coin,” strengthens the general historical grounding of the series.

Cultural Value

For the collector, the appeal of this tessera lies both in its iconographic clarity, allowing immediate thematic identification without reliance on a legend, and in the cultural density of this dialogue between grain and wine — the two sensory pillars of Mediterranean civilization. Roman art could condense, through a few well-chosen signs, an image of prosperity and stability, while the bibliographic references (Cohen, Göbl, Mazzini, Lambros) provide the object with a firm scholarly anchoring that nourishes the informed pleasure of typology and reasoned comparison.

Traceability & Guarantees

Each specimen is examined, described, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with art and heritage market standards. Careful observation under ×10 magnification and raking light forms an integral part of the descriptive method, which bases attribution on visible characteristics (types, style, organization of reliefs) and on published bibliographic concordances, ensuring that the client receives a piece presented with rigor of terminology and fully verifiable typological coherence.

The provenance is European, from an established numismatic dealer, and the acquisition is carried out through a specialized international transaction within a recognized numismatic network, validated according to the demanding standards of the art and heritage market, thereby providing the solidity of traceability expected by informed collectors.

Ref: 0KTQDS45LR