6 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Earliest Known Stone Mold for Coin Production in Roman Hispania Unearthed

Researchers from the University of Jaén have made a groundbreaking discovery at the archaeological site of Obulco, modern-day Porcuna, revealing the earliest known stone mold used for coin production in the Roman province of Hispania. This significant finding was first reported by La Brújula Verde, highlighting the importance of the discovery in understanding ancient monetary practices.

The archaeological site of Obulco, located in modern-day Porcuna, Spain, was an important Ibero-Roman settlement during the ancient period. It flourished particularly during the 2nd century BCE, serving as a key economic and cultural center in the region. Obulco was known for its strategic location along trade routes and its active mint, which produced coins that reflect the integration of local and Roman influences.

From the late 3rd century to the 1st century BCE, numerous mints emerged across the Iberian Peninsula, producing coins either regularly or sporadically. Despite the wealth of coin emissions, tangible evidence of the production workshops has been scarce, often limited to the coins themselves found in various archaeological contexts. This scarcity has raised questions about the physical locations of the mints, the production chain, and the social structures surrounding these artisanal spaces.

The recently uncovered stone mold, measuring approximately 11 cm in height, 13.7 cm in length, and 5.4 cm in width, is one half of a bivalve mold used to create coin blanks—raw, unminted metal discs that would later be stamped into coins. The mold features a flat surface with circular casting marks and signs of thermal use, indicating its role in the coin-making process. Petrographic analysis confirmed that the stone used for its manufacture originated from the local geological unit of Porcuna, highlighting the resource exploitation for industrial tool-making in antiquity.

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry analysis revealed a binary copper-lead alloy in the mold’s metallic impressions, consistent with the compositions found in coins from Obulco. Researchers have linked this mold to the production of bronze asses dated between 189 and 165 BCE, marking it as part of one of the first coin series issued by the city.

Obulco, a key city in the Upper Guadalquivir region during the Iberian and Roman periods, was one of the most active mints in southern Hispania, issuing coins from the late 3rd century to the 1st century BCE. The iconography of its coins reflects the city’s integration into the Roman economic system, featuring agricultural motifs that symbolize the local economy’s reliance on cereal production.

A) Reconstruction of the bivalve mould in front view and section; B) Series 2 of the MIB and Series 3 of Arévalo (1999), most likely the coins produced with the studied mould (Photo: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien. Münzkabinett GR 145); C) Photogrammetry of the urban wall identified in the excavation where the mould was found, showing that the construction where the mould was found corresponds to a suburban building adjacent to the urban wall; D) Topography of the ancient oppidum of Obulco (after Casado Millán, 2017) showing the proposed hypothetical location of the mint. Credit: M.I. Moreno-Padilla et al.
A) Reconstruction of the bivalve mould in front view and section; B) Series 2 of the MIB and Series 3 of Arévalo (1999), most likely the coins produced with the studied mould (Photo: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien. Münzkabinett GR 145); C) Photogrammetry of the urban wall identified in the excavation where the mould was found, showing that the construction where the mould was found corresponds to a suburban building adjacent to the urban wall; D) Topography of the ancient oppidum of Obulco (after Casado Millán, 2017) showing the proposed hypothetical location of the mint. Credit: M.I. Moreno-Padilla et al.

The mold’s discovery in a suburban area near the city’s fortifications raises intriguing questions about the mint’s location within Obulco’s urban layout. Similar findings at Carteia, another identified mint, suggest that minting workshops may have been situated in peripheral areas under local magistrates’ or military control.

This mold not only provides insights into the technical aspects of coin production but also reflects the socioeconomic changes driven by Roman expansion in Hispania. Coins minted in Obulco during the 2nd century BCE bear the names of local magistrates inscribed in both Iberian and Latin characters, illustrating the gradual assimilation of Roman administrative practices within indigenous communities.

The increasing monetary production during this period coincides with the territorial reorganization and expansion of cereal agriculture, linked to the Roman Republic‘s extractive economic system. Thus, the Obulco mold serves as a tangible indicator of the transformations experienced by Iberian cities as they integrated into the Roman imperial framework.

This remarkable discovery not only addresses the long-standing archaeological gap regarding the visibility of mints but also paves the way for new research opportunities focused on the locations and operations of these critical economic spaces in Republican Hispania.

By shedding light on the intricacies of coin production, this find contributes significantly to our understanding of the multifaceted economic, political, and social dynamics that influenced the Romanization of the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, it highlights the pivotal role that coinage played in facilitating these transformations, serving as a vital link between local communities and the broader Roman economic system. As researchers delve deeper into the implications of this mold, it is expected to enrich our comprehension of how ancient societies adapted to and integrated with the expanding Roman influence.

María Isabel Moreno-Padilla, Mario Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, et al., Dealing with the archaeological invisibility of the Iberian mints: A technological and contextual analysis of the first stone mould for blank coin production found in Hispania. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Volume 63. Doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105083

Cover Image Credit: Detailed images of the stone mould used for blank coin production. It corresponds to the flat valve of a bivalve mould. Credit: M.I. Moreno-Padilla et al.

Related Articles

6,000-year-old Finds in Dorset Downs

11 June 2021

11 June 2021

In the Dorset Downs, a significant landscaping project has revealed a plethora of intriguing findings on a grand scale. Excavations...

Knights-era painting found behind bricked-up arch at Museum of Archaeology in Malta

30 November 2021

30 November 2021

A newly found Knights-era painting hidden behind a bricked-up arch at the Museum of Archaeology might give insight into the...

Yale Archaeologist discovered an “arcade” of rock-cut ancient mancala game boards in Kenya

2 February 2024

2 February 2024

Veronica Waweru, a Yale University archaeologist conducting fieldwork in Kenya, discovered an “arcade” of ancient Mancala game boards carved into...

2,400-year-old unearthed flush toilet in China

18 February 2023

18 February 2023

According to a China Daily report, the lower parts of a flush toilet estimated to be 2,400 years old have...

Ancient Roman Soldier’s Wrist Purse: A Unique Find in Former Enemy Territory

24 June 2025

24 June 2025

Archaeologists in South Moravia have unearthed a remarkable and historically significant artifact: a bronze fragment of a Roman soldier’s wrist...

Military Team Discovers Remarkable 2,000-Year-Old Celtic Artifacts, Including Chariot Parts and Bridle-Bit

4 February 2025

4 February 2025

Military personnel and veterans at RAF Valley in Anglesey on the island of Anglesey, Wales, have uncovered sensational Iron Age...

Al-Aqiser Church, Disappears in the Depths of The Iraqi Desert

10 May 2021

10 May 2021

In a country that has been devastated by successive conflicts and economic crises, Al-Aqiser, like the numerous Christian, Islamic and...

A rare Pictish stone was found near the potential site of the famous Scottish battle that led to the creation of Scotland

7 March 2022

7 March 2022

A team of archaeologists has discovered a Pictish symbol stone close to the site of what is thought to have...

Ancient Roman Chalice Contained Pig Fat Discovered in a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon Tomb in England

11 December 2024

11 December 2024

During excavations in Scremby, Lincolnshire in 2018, archaeologists uncovered an enameled copper alloy chalice in a 6th-century AD female grave....

Mysterious and Life-size camel carvings have been found in Saudi Arabian desert

4 October 2023

4 October 2023

Archaeologists have found life-size camel carvings on a rock near the southern border of Saudi Arabia’s Nafud desert. The Neolithic...

2,000 Bronze Statue Fragments Found in Ancient Scrap Yard

20 January 2025

20 January 2025

Archaeologists in Izmir, Turkey have made an extraordinary discovery in the ancient city of Metropolis: Approximately 2,000 bronze statue fragments...

An olive workshop dating back to the 6th century was found in the ancient city of Dara

16 February 2022

16 February 2022

An olive workshop dating back to the 6th century was unearthed in the ancient city of Dara, one of the...

Archaeologists identify three new Roman camps in Arabia

27 April 2023

27 April 2023

Through remote sensing analysis, archaeologists have identified three new Roman fortified camps throughout northern Arabia. Their study, released today in...

Europe’s Oldest Plough Marks Discovered in Switzerland and Testifying the Use of Animals in Agriculture 7000 Years Ago

8 March 2024

8 March 2024

Excavations at the Anciens Arsenaux site in Sion, Switzerland, researchers revealed evidence that Neolithic farmers used animal traction to pull...

Ancient Christian Cross Over 1,400 Years Old Linked to Church of the East Unearthed on Abu Dhabi’s Sir Bani Yas Island

19 August 2025

19 August 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery on Sir Bani Yas Island has brought to light an ancient Christian cross dating back more...