How to Identify the Ostrogothic Silver Quarter Siliqua

What It Is

The quarter siliqua was the smallest silver denomination struck by the Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy, founded by Theodoric the Great and continuing through his successors until the mid-6th century, when the kingdom was gradually reconquered by the Byzantine Empire in the Gothic War. Rather than placing their own portraits on coinage, Ostrogothic kings struck coins in the name of the reigning Byzantine emperor, a practice known as pseudo-imperial coinage, while marking their own authority through a distinctive reverse monogram. This arrangement reflected the Ostrogoths' formal position as rulers governing Italy under a nominal Byzantine overlordship, even though Theodoric and his successors exercised effective independent power.

Obverse Design

The obverse carries a diademed, draped bust of the Byzantine emperor of the time, most often Anastasius I, Justin I, or Justinian I, facing right. The surrounding legend reads a Latin abbreviation of the emperor's titles, typically a form of "DN [emperor] PF AVG."

Reverse Design

The reverse is the key identifying feature: instead of an imperial reverse type, it displays a monogram formed from the letters of the Ostrogothic king's name, such as Theodoric or Athalaric, usually enclosed within a wreath. Some quarter siliquae instead show a small standing Victory figure.

Size, Weight, and Metal

These are very small, thin silver coins, generally around 10-12mm in diameter and roughly half a gram in weight, making the monogram and legend correspondingly tiny and often difficult to read without magnification.

Mint Marks and Where to Find Them

Ravenna, the Ostrogothic capital, was the principal mint, with Rome also producing coinage at times. Mint attribution relies mainly on stylistic comparison rather than a clearly separated mint letter, since the coins are so small that formal mint marks are rarely legible or present.

Telling It Apart from Similar Coins

The defining difference from genuine Byzantine silver of the same emperors is the reverse monogram; a true Byzantine issue will carry an imperial reverse type rather than a barbarian king's cipher. Compare the monogram shape carefully against reference charts, since different Ostrogothic kings used distinct letter combinations.

Judging Condition at a Glance

Because the coins are so small and often weakly struck, focus on whether the emperor's profile and the monogram's strokes are still distinguishable, rather than expecting sharp full detail even on a lightly circulated piece. Even coins graded as well preserved by dealers often show only a partial legend, so completeness of the monogram matters more than overall sharpness when judging a specific example.

Authenticity Red Flags

Watch for a monogram that does not correspond to any known Ostrogothic king, an emperor's name paired with a monogram from a period when that king was not yet ruling, or a coin that is unusually thick or heavy for the denomination, which can indicate a modern cast copy.