 Precious metal coins of gold and silver were used for the payment of taxes, then reminted for payment to the military and civil service.Bronze coinage was issued on a more occasional basis and was primarily produced to serve the needs of commerce in the provinces.Minting – and control over precious metals in general – across the western empire was under the control of the "Comes sacrarum largitionum", with a number of major mints situated at Trier, Arles, Milan, Ravenna and Rome.