1 Aureus - Imitating Septimius Severus, 193-211

Germanic gold imitations of Roman aurei appear in the archaeological record almost exclusively as grave goods or hoard material — never as working currency. This piece imitates the Severan series, likely drawing from coins that entered barbaricum through military pay, diplomatic gifts, or cross-border trade during the third century. The lag between the prototype's minting and this imitation's probable production date is characteristic: Germanic workshops often worked from worn or long-circulating exemplars, which explains the degraded legends typical of the type.