Oh, they also come in nice?! A fine style Valerian I

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Orielensis, Sep 5, 2020.

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  1. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    Coins of Valerian I have a clear tendency to show terrible engraving, bad metal, sloppy striking, and generally poor workmanship. This one doesn't:

    Bildschirmfoto 2020-09-05 um 13.12.33.png
    Valerian I, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 253 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG; bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: APOLINI PROPVG; Apollo, nude except for cloak flying behind, standing r., drawing bow. 22mm, 3,58. Ref: RIC V Valerian 74.

    The coin arrived today, and it definitely cost more for than I'm usually willing to pay for a common 3rd century antoninianus. Yet, a flawlessly struck Valerian I in fine style and high grade seemed too exceptional to me to walk away from it. Was I a fool? You tell me.

    Please show your coins of Valerian I, or any ancient coins that you deem exceptionally attractive for a generally lackluster type.
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Very attractive specimen, @Orielensis ! And what a marvelous depiction of Apollo on the reverse, too!

    Here's a more typical Valerian:

    Valerian I PIETAS AVGG Antoninianus.jpg
    Valerian I, AD 253-260.
    Roman AR antoninianus, 2.75 g, 20 mm, 7 h.
    Uncertain Eastern mint, 2nd emission, AD 256-260.
    Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS·P·F·AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front.
    Rev: PIETAS AVGG, Valerian, holding eagle-tipped scepter, and Gallienus, holding parazonium, standing facing each other, sacrificing over lighted altar between them.
    Refs: RIC 285; Göbl 1684e; Cohen/RSC 152; RCV 9955; Hunter 73.
    Notes: The ANS attributes this issue to Cyzicus, Göbl to Samosata, and RIC to Antioch. According to the introduction of RIC volume V, during Valerian's reign, some coins minted in Asia cannot certainly be attributed to either Antioch or Cyzicus (p.22-26). RIC dates this issue to AD 255-56.
     
  4. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Nice, I bought this because of the portrait.

    [​IMG]
    Valerian I (253 - 260 A.D.)
    AR Antoninianus
    O: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped bust right.
    R: CONCORDIA EXERCIT, Concordia standing left holding patera and double cornucopiae.
    21mm
    3g
    RIC 81, Cohen 39; Sear 9929.
     
  5. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..very nice one ...and you're right, some are very fine and summer not...i got a run of mill mostly bronze Valerian..but i made up for it with this one of his grandson and namesake, Valerian ll...:) Valerian ll 002.JPG Valerian ll 003.JPG
     
  6. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's a very nice example! Usually those coins have a very mushy reverse due to die wear.

    Valerian II IOVI CRESCENTI.jpg
     
  7. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...thanks RC...i bought this one outright cheaper than a lesser quaility one i was bidding on..and LOST...:D..(lucky me:p)
     
    Inspector43 and Roman Collector like this.
  8. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Very nice! That's a great portrait. I can see why you bought it.

    Valerian - Apollo Salvtari 1903.jpg
    VALERIAN
    Billon Antoninianus. 2.82g, 20.5mm. Rome mint, AD 256-257. RIC 76; Cohen 28; Cunetio -. O: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: APOLL SALVTARI, Apollo standing left holding laurel branch in right hand and lyre resting on rock in left.
    Notes: Rated Common in RIC, but another example yet to be seen (none in the British Museum collection, Cunetio Hoard, acsearch, Coryssa, or Wildwinds).
     
  9. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Here's my Valerian II, nice reverse strike which pushed the cost up...

    Valerian II, AR antoninianus, 23 mm 4.2 grams

    Struck: 257-258, Cologne.

    Obverse: VALERIANVS CAES, radiate, draped bust right

    Reverse: IOVI CRESCENTI, the child Jupiter sitting right on the goat Amalthea, looking left, right hand raised, left hand holding the goat's horn.

    Reference: RIC 3 (Lyons); Cohen 26 (Saloninus); Elmer 67a; Goebl 0907e; Sear 10731.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    And a very run-of-the-mill Valerian:

    Valerian I, A.D. 253-260

    AR Antoninianus, 21 mm, 3.8 grams, 12h

    Mediolanum mint, A.D. 253-255

    Obverse: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG
    Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind

    Reverse: LAETITIA AVGG
    Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and rudder

    Reference: RIC Va 216, p. 55

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I am also showing the relief at Naqsh-i-Rustam, Iran, depicting the captured Valerian, carved in a mountainside along the Great Silk Road, so all of the travelers going along the road would behold the glory of Shapur. Phillip the Arab is also depicted.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. gogili1977

    gogili1977 Well-Known Member

    Very nice specimen Orielensis.
    image.jpg
     
  11. Bradley Trotter

    Bradley Trotter Well-Known Member

    Mine is quite the opposite of yours @Orielensis in terms of eye appeal. Here is my rather ugly example of Valerian I.

    Valerian I Antoninianus.jpg

    Valerian I
    AR Antoninianus
    253-255 A.D.
    OBV: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG
    REV: FELICITAS AVGG
    Diameter: 21.3 mm
    Weight: 3.71 gr.
    RIC 87, Cohen 55, Sear 9936
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2020
  12. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Super congrats on that great VI find, @Orielensis ... well done! Tha is a great looking coin.

    VALERIAN I


    upload_2020-9-5_9-35-28.png
    RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AR Ant Felicitas stndg Caduceus and Cornucopia


    VALERIAN II

    upload_2020-9-5_9-36-31.png
    RI Valerian II 256-258 CE Silvered Ant PRINCIP IVVENTVS
     
  13. Roerbakmix

    Roerbakmix Well-Known Member

    1. upload_2020-9-5_16-55-54.jpeg upload_2020-9-5_16-55-54.jpeg

      ROMAN IMPERIAL, Valerianus I. Denomination: AR Antonianus, minted: Lugdunum, current France; 258-259 AD
      Obv: VALERIANVS P F AVG Bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, cuirassed, right | Bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, right
      Rev: ORIENS AVGG Sol, radiate, walking left, raising right hand, holding whip in left hand
      Weight: 3g; Ø:2.1mm. Catalogue: RIC V 13. Provenance: Ex private collection
     
  14. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..well..i reckon i should show my Valerian l also...i aint ashamed...nor too proud of it..(of course that'd be most of my coins :p) Valerian 001.JPG Valerian 006.JPG
     
  15. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    @Orielensis, I'd say you chose a very nice Valerian - mine of this type not as well struck as yours, but also one where I was attracted to a better than average portrait style for this emperor and an interesting early type of Valerian (first year of rule).

    The reverse "to Apollo who defends us" linked with the story of Apollo killing the serpent at Delphi and creating the Pythian games, described in Ovid's Metamorphoses:

    Unwilling she [Earth] created thus enormous Python. Thou unheard of serpent spread so far athwart the side of a vast mountain, didst fill with fear the race of new created man.

    The God that bears the bow (a weapon used till then only to hunt the deer and agile goat) destroyed the monster with a myriad darts, and almost emptied all his quiver, till envenomed gore oozed forth from livid wounds.

    Lest in a dark oblivion time should hide the fame of this achievement, sacred sports he instituted, from the Python called “The Pythian Games.”

    - Ovid, Metamorphoses, The First Pythian Games, translated by Brookes More, 1922

    And illustrated in this 1589 engraving by Hendrik Goltzius which can be found in the British Museum collections
    upload_2020-9-5_11-43-21.png
    with more to the story here on "Pythian" coming not from Python but from from Greek "putho" meaning "rot" of the serpent's remains and vapors from its decomposition inducing sybyl's prophetic trance.
    Valerian Apolini Propug.jpg Valerian I, AD 253-260, AR Antoninianus, Rome mint, 1st emission, AD 253
    Obv:
    IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
    Rev: APOLINI PROPVG, Apollo standing right, drawing bow
    Ref: RIC V 74
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2020
  16. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

    Orielensis, indeed a beautifull coin.

    P1160793 (2).JPG P1160793II (3).jpg
     
  17. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Valerian I (Augustus)
    Silver Antoninianus
    IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
    SALVS AVGG - Salus standing left, holding sceptre in left hand, feeding serpent rising from altar
    Mint: Rome (AD 254)
    Wt./Size/Axis: 3.00g / 23mm / -
    References: RIC Va 121, p. 47
    Notes: Jun 21, 16 - Could be either AR or Billon.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    ex Stevex6
     
  18. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    Very nice Apollo on that one @Orielensis!

    normal_Clipboard17~0.jpg Valerian Antoninianus, 254-255 AD. Diana Lucifera
    Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, Radiate, draped bust right.
    Rev: FELICITAS SAECVLI. Diana Lucifera draped walking to the right, holding a lit torch in both hands; the head surmounted by a crescent moon.



    valadcragum (3).jpg
    Cilicia, Antiocheia ad Cragum. Valerian AE32
    Obv: Valerian bust r.
    Rev: Eagle facing, head l.
    10.3gm, 32mm
     
  19. gogili1977

    gogili1977 Well-Known Member


    I think your second coin is Saloninus, not Valerian II. It is similar to mine:
    Obv. SAL VALERIANVS CS
    Rev. PRINC IVVENT
    image.jpg
     
  20. Edessa

    Edessa Well-Known Member

    Valerian, AD 253-260. AR Antoninianus (22mm, 3.67g, 1h). Rome mint. Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG; Radiate bust of emperor right with slight beard. Rev: IOVI CONSER-VATORI; Jupiter standing left, holding scepter and lightning bolt. Ref: RIC 92; Cohen 94; Cunetio 444.

    zzzx.jpg
     
  21. Orange Julius

    Orange Julius Well-Known Member

    This is probably one of my better Valerians with good metal.
    ValerianRIC89.JPG
    And... here's a fake Valerian Alexandrian Tetradrachm that @Justin Lee and I are well aware of. Beware of year 2 Valerians with Eagles like this one... all fake!
    ValerianTet.JPG
     
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