What do the letters AR stand for in: AR Denarius?

icsoccer

Are all AR Denarius coins silver?
Do the letters stand for the same in: AR Drachm?
TIA!

RobP

<< <i>Are all AR Denarius coins silver?
Do the letters stand for the same in: AR Drachm?
TIA!
>>


Ar = Argentum = Silver

Sapyx

In the shorthand which numismatists have used for hundreds of years:

AV = gold (from the Latin aureum)
AR = silver (from the Latin argentum))
AE = copper, bronze, brass or other base metal (from the Latin aes)

In printed books which allow for it, the two letters are often written as a ligature (a single symbol joined together).

Note that this is different from the chemical shorthand for these metals (Au = gold, Ag = silver and Cu = copper).

nicholasz219

Wow, it all makes sense now. I'm surprised I didn't know this.

Short, but informative.

Nick