2 new rulers added, both with the same name

... and the name is Valerian.
I am fully aware that getting a complete "one coin per emperor" collection is impossible simply because some rulers are way too expensive. But when I have the opportunity, the coin is decent and the price is more decent, why not.
Already managed to add, recently, Carus, Carinus, Numerian, Herennia Etruscilla. Nothing spectacular but ticking a box is always satisfying.

Valerian, although common, eluded me because I had the ambition to get a decent coin under 25 EUR.
Finally happened today and I am satisfied with this coin, good Valerian portrait, well centered and a nice reverse.




Valerian I AD 255-256. Samosata
Billon Antoninianus
20 mm, 2,92 g
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, right / RESTITVT ORIENTIS, turreted woman (the Orient), draped, standing right, presenting wreath to emperor, standing left, holding spear in left hand
RIC V Valerian 287; Göbl 1685e; RSC 189.

What I cannot "unsee" since I noticed this coin is the turreted woman. Say whatever you want, but the image that remained into my brain is a magician with a top hat who presents a rabbit.

And since there was a Valerian II, although in a modest condition, I decided to have a go.
Nothing to write home about, but getting it for 10 EUR is a good deal.



Valerian II, Caesar AD 254-255. Rome
Billon Antoninianus
22 mm, 2,34 g
P LIC VALERIANVS CAES, bust of Valerian II, radiate, draped, right / PIETAS AVGG, Sacrificial implements, variously arranged
RIC V Valerian II 19

Please post
- coins from Valerian I or II
- coins where some images look like something completely different at first sight (yes, the turreted Orient still looks like a magician for me)

 

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His history alone makes him fun to collect.


Valerian I (253 - 260 A.D.)
PHRYGIA. Cotiaeum
Æ Tetrassarion
O: AYT K Π ΛIK OYAΛЄPIANON Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Valerian I to right, seen from behind.
R: ЄΠI Π AI ΔHMHTPIANOY ΙΠΠ - AP/X // KOTIAEΩN Hygieia standing right, holding serpent, and Asklepiois standing facing, head to left, leaning right on serpent-entwined staff; between them, Telesphoros standing facing.
8g
24mm
SNG München 333. SNG von Aulock 3791.


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.


Valerian II, (256 - 258 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
O: P LIK KOR OVALERIANOC KAIC CEB, Draped and cuirassed bust of Valerian right.
R: Alexandria wearing mural crown standing left holding bust of Serapis and scepter, L E (Year 5) across fields.
10.35g
22mm
Emmett 3763 // Milne 3981

Published on wildwinds!


Valerian I (253 - 260 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
O: A K Π ΛI OVAΛEPIANOC EV EVC, Laureate and cuirassed bust right
R: Tyche seated left, holding rudder and cornucopia; L Δ (Year 4, 256/7 A.D.) to upper left.
10.54g
24mm
Köln 2867; Dattari (Savio) 5174; K&G 88.28; Emmett 3721.4.


Valerian I (253 - 260 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate and draped bust right.
R: FORTVNA REDVX, Mercury standing left, holding purse and caduceus.
Antioch Mint, 254 - 255 A.D.
21mm
3.98g
RIC V 214; MIR 36, 1561a; RSC 75



Valerian II (256 - 258 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: VALERIANVS CAES, Radiate and draped bust right.
R: IOVI CRESCENNI, Infant Jupiter seated facing on goat (Amalthea) standing right,his right hand raised.
Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint
4.34g
23mm
RIC 3 RSC 26

 

Nice pick-up, @ambr0zie! I have the Gallienus version of that reverse type. It's one of the first ancient coins I ever purchased, from a brick-and-mortar coin shop back in the 1980s.


Gallienus, AD 253-268.
Roman Billon Antoninianus, 4.40 g; 23.5 mm.
Samosata, AD 255-256.
Obv: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and draped bust, right.
Rev: RESTITVT ORIENTIS, Tyche, left, presenting wreath to emperor, right, who holds spear in left.
Refs: RIC 448; RSC 902; Cohen 902; RCV 10341; Hunter p. xlvii; Göbl 1677m.

Here's a Valerian from the same mint (probably) to stay on topic! 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.


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.

 

...a fun family to collect!

 

Nice pick-ups, @ambr0zie - I really like the coins of the House of Valerian. So far in 2022, I've added one - the Apollo drawing a bow type had been on my wish list for a while. Although I wish the reverse die wasn't so worn, it was affordable and these don't come along in my price range very often:


Valerian I Antoninianus
(253 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / APOLINI
PROPVG, Apollo, nude except for cloak flying behind, standing right, drawing bow.
RIC 74cA; Göbl 44d.
(3.26 grams / 20 x 18 mm)
eBay Jan. 2022 MAWbd

 

VALERIANVS CAES - Radiate and draped bust of Valerian II right /
IOVI CRESCENTI - child Jupiter riding right on the goat Amalthea, looking left, right hand raised, left hand holding goat´s horn
Antoninianus, Lugdunum or Cologne (?), late 256- early 258
RIC 3, Göbl/MIR 907e, Elmer 67a, Sear 10731

 

VALERIAN I


RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AE 20mm Alexandria Troas mint Horse Grazing




RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AR Ant Felicitas stndg Caduceus and Cornucopia

 

VALERIAN II


RI Valerian II 256-258 CE Silvered Ant PRINCIP IVVENTVS

 

This Savoca auction also had an interesting selection of Group III Istros fractions.

 

Since I mostly do sestertii ... My Valerian 1&2 look like this.

 

I like those! Nice portraits on them.

 

Nice coins everyone, sadly both guys had a sad ending but here Valerian I. and II. from my collection:
Emperor Valerian (I.) - Antoninianus - VICTORIA AVGG - Rome mint

Valerian (II.) Caesar - Antoninianus - PRINC IVVENTVTIS - Antioch mint

 

@ambr0zie, my first thought on seeing that reverse was also a man in a top hat. Although my mind went to Uncle Sam rather than a magician!

Valerian I:



Valerian II:

 

Good looking coins of an ugly looking emperor @ambr0zie

 

To my way of thinking, your Valerian I is the best selection if you are to have just one coin of his. It refers to how he benefitted the East. He died as a slave in the East. Ironic? These are usually found on poor metal. There are earlier ones with better silver and later ones where the copper content overpowered the lesser silver but this particular period just was not a good choice for making strong coins.


I guess any coin related to the East would be as good but I favor the one you have.

 

Thank you all for sharing your Valerians.
I am happy, especially with Valerian I. Day 1 of the auction wasn't very successful as my strategy was incorrect, I let some interesting coins pass (although the prices were surprisingly high) as I was hunting a major target. That one went for double my estimation and I didn't feel the price was objective. So I let that one pass too.
Today I bought 4 coins, all snacks, nothing special, but still happy - the other 2 are a Salonina IVNONI REGINAE with a doe (other sources mention combination between goat and stag - so Salonina was "copying" her husband's favorite theme) and I added another Gallienus from the Zoo series - with Pegasus, having a nice Gallienus portrait.

 

So with Valerian I and II, and Salonina, and Gallienus, now I guess you need to complete the family with one of these if you haven't already done so:

Diva Mariniana (deceased wife of Valerian I), Silvered Billon Antoninianus. 254-258 AD, Viminacium [Rome?] Mint. Obv. DIVAE MARINIANAE, Veiled and draped bust right on crescent/ Rev. CONSECRATIO, Peacock standing, head right, tail in splendor. RSC IV 4, RIC V-1 4, Sear RCV III 10068. 21.5 mm., 3.9 g.

 

Didn't find a Diva Mariniana yet to fulfill my conditions - attractive and cheap - or anyway, decent price. No hurry though.
Also no Saloninus yet but, again, no pressure.

 

..i need one o dem 2....that's a nice'un Donna! ..and i see @Ryro's got one also...and the provenance of my 'mostly' silver Valerian is from @dougsmit collection