L. SCIPIO ASIAGENUS (106 BC)

"Denarius Serratus" The Denarius Serratus (from the Latin serra – saw; plural serrati) was a variation of the standard Roman silver coin, produced through a minting process that involved serrating the edge of the blank coin before striking it with a die. Rare early specimens are dated to the late 3rd century BCE; it became more common starting in 118 BCE and was issued until 59 BCE.

This practice was likely introduced to counteract fraud in the production and circulation of silver coins. It was intended to prevent the spread of so-called suberati—coins superficially plated with a layer of silver. The serrated edge also served to deter clipping of the coin and tampering with its legal weight.