Understanding RIC, RPC references and the OCRE database
By Sébastien · · 6 min read
In sale descriptions or catalogues, a Roman coin almost always comes with a code: "RIC II 65", "RRC 443/1", "RPC I 2155". These references are not decorative: they tie the piece to a reference work and make the attribution verifiable. This article extends the guide cataloguing an ancient coin collection.
The three great corpora
Three works structure most of Roman coinage:
- RIC (Roman Imperial Coinage): the reference corpus for imperial coins, organized by emperor and by mint.
- RRC (Roman Republican Coinage), known as "Crawford": the reference for the Roman Republic, numbered by issue (e.g. 443/1).
- RPC (Roman Provincial Coinage): the corpus of provincial strikings, local coinages of the Empire, often in Greek.
How to read a reference
A reference generally combines the corpus abbreviation, the volume and the number: "RIC II 65" designates number 65 of the second RIC volume. In Crawford, the notation "443/1" signals issue 443, type 1. Noting the full reference in the record lets you retrieve the exact description and compare two examples.
OCRE and CRRO: the online databases
Two public databases extend these corpora online, edited around the American Numismatic Society (ANS):
- OCRE (Online Coinage of the Roman Empire, online.ans.org): lists RIC types with images and data, ideal to confirm an imperial attribution.
- CRRO (Coinage of the Roman Republic Online): the equivalent for the Republic, backed by Crawford.
The BnF (via Gallica) and the ANS also offer digitized collections valuable for comparing your coin to published examples.
Why record the reference in your file
A reference in the record is an attribution that outlives the collector: anyone can verify, compare, estimate. It avoids duplicates (two "RIC II 65" are the same type), eases resale and connects your collection to published knowledge. See cataloguing an ancient coin collection and, upstream, how to identify a Roman coin.
In practice with AncientDesk
AncientDesk provides a reference field per record (RIC, RRC, RPC) and a search on that field, to retrieve a type in an instant and detect duplicates. Need help starting your catalogue? Feel free to contact us.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between RIC, RRC and RPC?
RIC covers imperial coins, RRC (Crawford) the Roman Republic, and RPC the provincial strikings of the Empire. The right corpus depends on the coin's era and place of striking.
What are OCRE and CRRO for?
They are online databases edited around the ANS: OCRE lists RIC types (Empire), CRRO those of the Republic. They let you confirm an attribution with images and data, for free.
Do I really need to record the reference in my file?
Yes. The reference makes the attribution verifiable and comparable, avoids duplicates and eases resale. It is the information that links your coin to published numismatic knowledge.
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