RR114469. Copper quadrans, cf. Crawford 196/4, Sydenham 264c, BMCRR 466, SRCV I 1104 (the light weight indicates this is likely an unofficial imitative), aF, well centered on a broad thin flan, rough green patina, 2.431g, 19.9mm, 270^o, head of Hercules right, wearing Nemean Lion scalp headdress, three pellets behind; reverse prow of galley right, ROMA above, three pellets below, star(?) before

 

'Quadrans' is Latin for 'a quarter' or 'one-fourth', and when applied to the weight system (and thus to the early bronze coinage) it meant a quarter of an 'as' (pound). Since it was a quarter of a pound, and the Roman pound was comprised of twelve unciae (ounces), it was marked as three unciae, meaning three dots. The quadrans is one of the Roman coins mentioned in the Bible. Jesus says in Matthew 5:26, 'Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost quadrans.' In Mark 12:42 Jesus says, 'And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two 'lepta', which make a quadrans.' (The original Greek text uses 'kodranten' and 'kodrantes' respectively, although modern English translations variously render the term (as well as the Greek term 'lepta') to give the average modern reader an idea of what is meant).