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By the time Aurelian came to power, inflation and debasement had reduced the denominations in production to the Aureus and the Antoninianus, which by this stage was basically bronze with a poor silver wash. Aurelian increased the size and weight of the Antoninianus, and improved the silver wash applied to bronze coins (from 2.5% silver to 4.3%). He also reintroduced the Denarius, Sestertius, the As and the Dupondius, all as bronze coins. You can see the effects of inflation in the value of the Aureus. Previously these were 25 Denarii, but by this stage they are worth 800, and by 348 AD it is believed that an Aureus was worth 4,350 Denarii.
| Metal | Denomination | Value (Denarius) | Weight |
| Gold | Aureus | 800 | Raised from 4.55g to 6.54g |
| Silver Plated Billon | Antoninianus (See notes) | 2 | Raised from 3.15 to 3.88 with a better quality silver wash |
| Billon | Denarius | 1 | 2.4g |
| Bronze | Sestertius | ¼ | 18.95g |
| Dupondius | 1/8 | 11.7g | |
| As | 1/16 | 8.38g |
Note: The Antoninianus of Aurelian is sometimes called an Aurelianianus to distinguish it from the one that came before. It’s debatable if it needs a different name.
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