Within archaeological studies, Greek, Roman and other coinage is considered and studied as art. Of course, this art study and archaeological study has much to do with the expression of politics and propagandism on the art side and with dating and historical/archaeological evidence on the archaeological side. Nevertheless, the study of Roman coinage can be an interesting thing to discuss here. I remember one of our members asking about coins as art earlier and I think we should take it on. Of most other art regions discussed at ARS, the artisans of ancient times have remained unknown and, of course, so will the people/artisans who made the matrices for coinage at the Saturnus Temple Cellar in Rome. What they produced was propagandistic art that could travel through all the provinces of the Roman Empire and even abroad. Other pieces of art, like statues, paintings and buildings contained lots of propaganda as well.Considering from an ancient point of view, and an archaeological (or art historical) one, there is no strict difference between "art pour l'art" and propagandistic art to be distinguished in Roman art, since the Romans were a very practical people: art had to mean something: it had to relate to historical or cultural lessons, or it had to have a propagandistic purpose. I therefore would say: let's study the Roman coins here!Tanaquil