AE Medaillon (64,80 g.), 65 n. Chr. Mzst. Rom. Vs.: NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, Kopf mit Lorbeerkranz n. r., an der Büste Ägis. Rs.: ROMA / S - C, Roma mit Parazonium u. Viktoria sitzt n. l. auf Waffen. RIC 173; C. 274; BMC 173. Prunkabschlag! Herrliche rotbraune Patina, ss-vz

Prunkabschläge von Bronzemünzen der römischen Reichsprägung mit verbreitertem, profilierten Rand tauchen bereits unter Augustus immer wieder auf. Im Gegensatz zu den Medaillonen des 2. Jhs., für die eigene Stempel und ein eigenes Bildprogramm geschaffen wurden, und die sich von der regulären Münzprägung auch durch das fehlende SC unterscheiden, verwenden die Prunkabschläge der frühen Kaiserzeit stets die Stempel regulärer Bronzemünzen. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass es sich am ehesten um repräsentative Münzproben handelt. Die späteren Medaillone scheinen allerdings diese früheren Prunkanschläge abzulösen, so dass am Ende unklar bleibt, aus welchem Anlass diese Stücke hergestellt wurden und welche Verwendung ihnen zugedacht war.

http://www.gmcoinart.de/shop/detailansicht.php3?ObID=1046088...

JSTOR: Roman Medallions
... were mainly commemorative and struck or cast for personal distribution. ... The selection of bronze as the metal for the typical Roman medallion may ...
links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4358(1945)35%3C134%3ARM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K - Similar pages

The contorniate medallions produced in the latter half of the fourth and early fifth centuries AD by the official mint in Rome, probably for use as New Year’s Day gifts, seem to have been part of a “culture war” for traditional pagan values and heritage (Alföldi-Rosenbaum 1997). Most bear portraits of the emperors, ranging from Augustus down to Philip the Arab, including some of imperial women, but also some of other cultural icons such as Apuleius. The largest groups feature portraits of Trajan and Nero.
When systematic study of ancient coinage and medallions began in the Renaissance, the distinction between coins struck for circulation as money and medallions minted for gift exchanges was by no means immediately apparent, especially as some of the contorniates are based on earlier coin types. Sebastiano Erizzo (1525-1585) in particular argued for the view that Roman imperial medaglie served purely commemorative purposes. Others, including Enea Vico (1523-1567), author of several illustrated books on Roman coinage, espoused the ultimately correct view that imperial portraits had indeed circulated on the standard coins of the empire.
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:C4nXfeaTnxQJ:www.camws.o...


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Note added at 1 hr (2007-10-02 15:48:37 GMT)
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NERO. Circa 400 AD. Æ 38mm Contorniate Medallion (18.02 gm). NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP, laureate head of Nero right; PE monogram engraved behind / STE-F-AN-AS, driver in slow quadriga right, turning left, holding wreath and palm branch; the horses plumed. Alföldi, pl. 71, 8 (same dies). EF, wonderful dark green patina. Extremely rare in this grade! [See color plate 13] ($7500) On this spectacular contorniate, the famous charioteer Stefanas is shown in a quadriga with the symbols of victory - a wreath and palm branch, apparently acknowledging the cheers of the crowd. The emphasis on sport has led some historians to propose that contorniates are tokens handed out to attendees of games or races, or perhaps given as an entrance ticket, More recently a suggestion has been made that they are pieces from a board game, with the raised rim making them easier to slide or fit into a recessed area. Will current monoply pieces (minature shoes, race cars, etc) provoke as much puzzlement for future archaeologists as contorniates do for us?

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/nero/Alfoldi_008.txt