The Roman Empire was sprawling and massive as they assimilated regions they conquered and mostly kept the population and cultures intact to a degree. In order to keep all of the provinces running smoothly, local mints were established to produce (mostly) base-metal coins. Over the course of the empire, more than 600 provincial mints provided the means for those not living in the large cities to conduct trade, while showcasing important themes, buildings or religious icons. Some large provincial mints, such as Tyre in Phoenicia, were allowed to strike silver coins. But mostly the provincial cities and towns featured their flavor on copper and bronze. This is the Roman Provincial Coinage.
Interestingly, some Roman provincial issues are the only way to collect some of the family members, such as Nero’s daughter, Claudia, or other important figures, since they never appeared on Imperial issues. Also, the provincial issues are the only practical way to get some of the very rare figures, such as the empress of Gordian III, Tranquillina, as their Imperial counterparts are either untouchable by most collectors or simply come to market so infrequently they are almost impossible to acquire. Also, there are some stunning and massive 35mm or larger bronze issues that are very popular with collectors.
Here is just a small selection of the incredibly diverse population of Provincials available at VCoins right now:
