I like Valerian I as he's best known for becoming Shapur I's human stepping stool and/or stuffed toy. However, his coins are also pretty neat, often with some rare and unusual reverses. This one is really neat as it an unusual depiction of two full-length emperors on the reverse. You see double and triple emperors on late empire coins, but they don't seem to be too common before then. As we know, Gallienus and Valerian had a joint rule, so this is a really neat coin as it shows both guys in a pose of unity. My second neat one is a Consecration issue of Junior. These, similar to the Claudius II consecrations, have either an eagle or an altar. The eagle seems to be a bit more rare, but I liked the altars more anyways. As expected, reverse die is beat to death, but I really appreciate the delicate rendering of the child's face, although it does make him look much older than the expected 7-ish year old kid. Please post your most interesting Valerians
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Valerian I right. RESTITVT ORIE-NTIS, the Orient, turreted, standing right, presenting wreath to the emperor, standing facing, head left, holding scepter. Valerianus I. (253-260 AD). AE Sestertius (27 mm, 15.93 g), Rome, 253-254 AD. Obv. IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, Laureate and cuirassed bust right. Rev. VICTORIA AVGG / S - C, Victory standing left, holding wreath and palm
Nice coins @hotwheelsearl ! I’m not sure what I think of Valerian but I do find him and the time period interesting. Here are my versions of your coins… I think. My first coin is surely of Asian mint style, I’m not sure about yours. Without looking at references, the style looks different. Either way, similar! I do like the obverse of your Valerian II coin better than mine. The portrait on mine is… sorta ugly. Haha, anyway fun coins. Valerian - Antioch - RIC V-1 277 Valerian II - RIC 24
Nice acquisitions, @hotwheelsearl! My favorite Valerian type is the DEO VOLKANO: Valerian I, AD 253-260. Roman AR antoninianus, 2.69 g, 21.2 mm, 7 h. Colonia Agrippina (Cologne) mint, AD 259-260. Obv: VALERIANVS·P·F·AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: DEO VOLKANO, Vulcan standing left within tetrastyle temple, hammer raised in right hand, tongs downward in left. Refs: RIC 5 (inaccurately attributed to the Lugdunum mint); Cohen 2 (inaccurately attributed to Valerian II); RSC 50c; Göbl 884d; Hunter IV 56; RCV 9934. And here's the grandson, struck with the typical worn out reverse die: Valerian II, Caesar AD 256-258. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.14 g, 22.5 mm, 5 h. Cologne, AD 257-258. Obv: VALERIANVS CAES, radiate and draped bust, right. Rev: IOVI CRESCENTI, infant Jupiter seated facing on goat standing right, his right hand raised. Refs: RIC 3; Göbl 907e; Cohen 26; RCV 10731; Hunter 9.
I have a much inferior version of the goat-rider. Thinking about how young Junior was, this coin makes me kind of sad. Kid probably was more interested in ruling goats than ruling an empire, and probably deserve an early death.
kool coins O..i reckon i've the whole fam damily..provided there ain't a coin of V1's wife....here's my 'silvered' ant. of V1 and a purdy good silver of V2, child Zeus on a goat reverse..19mm,2.32gms and 21mm,2.96gms respectively
Here are a few of mine Valerian I, SALVS AVGG reverse Valerian I with a left facing bust, VOTA ORBIS reverse. Rare Valerian II, IOVI CRESCENTI reverse. He's depicted as a young Jupiter riding a goat... for some reason...
There are also some Father/Son Coins on which Valerian I and Gallienus shared the same reverse during their joint reign. I started a thread about this around a year and a half ago. I think they're pretty neat, too.
Oh, but there IS! Mariniana, died AD 253. Roman AR Antoninianus, 3.04 g, 23.5 mm, 5 h. Rome mint, AD 253-257. Obv: DIVAE MARINIANAE, veiled, draped bust r., on crescent. Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock standing facing, head l., tail in splendor. Refs: RIC 3; Cohen 3; RCV 10067; Temeryazev & Makarenko 560; Eauze Hoard-1318 (23 spec.); Cunetio Hoard-646 (22 spec.).
Here's another Valerian II - I bought it because the reverse is in good shape for the type, as mostly they are struck on very worn dies. 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.
VALERIAN II (Caesar 256-258) AS, Rome, 258 7.34 g - 26 mm S 10611 - C 18 (Saloninus) - RIC Va 43 DIVO (CAES VA)LERIANO Bare-headed bust right CONS(ECRATIO) SC Funeral pyre surmounted by Valerian II in biga
Nice ones @hotwheelsearl! Valerian with Diana Lucifera. Valerian Antoninianus, 254-255 AD. 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. Sometimes provincials can have reasonably accurate portraits. Phoenicia, Berytos. Valerian AE30. Astarte Obv: IMP CP LIC VALERIANVS AVG, Radiate bust right. Rev: COL IVL AVG FEL BER, Astarte standing front with head right, left foot on prow, holding standard in right hand and aphlastron in left, raising robe. To right Nike on column, crowning her. 30mm and 15.3g. and some not so much... Troas, Alexandreia. Valerian I Obv: IMP LIC VALERIANVS AV, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right. Rev: COL AVGO TROA, eagle standing facing on bucranium, wings spread, head right.