The terms first, second or third brass (or bronze), applied to Roman coins 
according to their sizes, is convenient but unscientific. The first brass, 
or Great Brass, is in reality the Sestertius; the Second Brass, or Middle 
Brass, is the Dupondius and As; and the Third Brass, or Small Brass, is the 
Semis and other small coins. It should be remembered that the latter class 
is of copper; the larger coins are neither brass nor bronze, but composed of 
orichalcum, a mixture of copper and zinc.

    Frey, Albert Romer
        1917 A dictionary of numismatic names, their official and popular 
designations. The American Numismatic Society. New York. p 32.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "geoff carver" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 3:18 PM
Subject: first/third brass


does "first/third brass" refer only to the size/class of a coin, not its 
material?
does anyone happen to know when "brass" began to be labelled "bronze" (or 
did the Romans actually have brass coins? I have a lot of Victorian & 
earlier references to things being made of "brass" that i'm sure must be 
bronze)