Gold Bar

Gold Bar

Gold Bar, c. 379-80, Roman, Sirmium (modern day Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia), gold, 174 mm x 23 mm, weight: 499.86 g, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum.

This gold bar is one of fifteen (all dating to the 4th century) that were found in Romania in the late 19th century. The form makes it more easily transportable, and it most likely would have been brought to a mint where it would have been melted down and used to make coins. Of the fifteen original gold bars, several were cut up, sold, and the group was otherwise dispersed. However, two intact bars were bought by the Kunsthistorisches Museum from a Viennese brewer. The bar bears five stamped inscriptions in Latin, providing details regarding the history of the gold bars, including the name of the inspector, a certification of its purity, and four additional inspection stamps that further verify the quality of the gold.

Inscriptions:
LVCIANVS // OBR • I • SIC Christogramm and four times: FL FLAVIAN // VS PRO SIC // AD DIGMA

Flavius Flavianus probavit signum ad digma

Flavius Flavianus approves the authenticity mark [given by Lucianus].

www.khm.at/de/object/6e41695e28/

Kunsthistorische Museum Wien Münzkabinett, RÖ 37443