Copper coins of Valens (AD 364-378) are some of the most common ancient coins of all. It is easy to find inexpensive AE3's in excellent condition. I just created a web page "type set" for him: http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/Valens.html as part of my large educational site on late Roman AE coins: http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/ Here is his most dramatic type, a rare AE1: Valens. AE28-27. 5:30. 8.16 grams. RIC Nicomedia 7b (gamma) "R3". This type was struck for Valentinian I, Valens, and Gratian. It is rare for Valentinian, significantly rarer for Valens, and of extreme rarity for Gratian. (I have never seen one offered.)
Love that coin, Warren, would love to have one like that. I just have this. Bright side is that it got published on Wildwinds. Valens (364 - 378 A.D.) Æ3 O: DN VALENS PF AVG , Pearl - diademed , draped bust right . R: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE,Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm .D over Symbol in left field. F in right field. ASISCV in Exe. Siscia 18mm 2.6g RIC IX Siscia 15(b), xliii
VERY NICE!!!! I have yet to purchase an AE-1....but the NEW Year hasn't even arrived yet Here's a common type I recently picked up:
I have a fantasy of someday cherry-picking a Valens campgate. You know, look through a dealer's junk box and find one that was mistaken for just another common Constantinian campgate. Unfortunately the dealers I know aren't quite that dense.
