Roman Bronze Coins

Continuing our series of the famous Constantinian Dynasty we offer Julian, the Last Pagan Emperor. Julian was born in A.D. 332, nephew to Constantine the Great. He was five years old when Constantine died, the sons of Constantine then murdered any rivals, including his father. The infant Julian was sent to be educated in Athens until A.D. 355 when Constantius II summoned him to deal with problems in the West. He was successful and so popular that the army later proclaimed him emperor, luckily Constantius II died in A.D. 361, resolving the issue. Julian tolerated all religions but is best known for attempting to reinstate the old Roman gods, earning the name Julian ‘The Apostate’ from later writers. His short reign ended when he died of wounds from a skirmish with the Sassanian army during an attempted invasion in A.D. 363. We offer bronze coins of Julian showing his portrait with various reverses. The coins presented here grade in Fine but there is a very limited number as Julian is not as easy to find as his cousins. We hope you get one!

Maximian. A.D. 286-305., Lugdunum - A.D. 293. Billon Antonininianus. Radiate bust right / 'PAX AVGG' Pax standing left holding Victory on globe & sceptre. Reverse struck from worn die, Extremely Fine.

Late in the ‘Crisis of the Third Century’ Britain & Northern France did not have enough regular coinage so the locals took matters into their own hands! Recent research shows the new, superior silver coin of Aurelian were being saved and not used, so for about 11 years (A.D. 275-286) crude, bronze coins were made locally to ‘top up’ the coins in circulation. They copied old types from Gallienus, Postumus, Claudius II (to name a few) but the quality of the designs varied hugely as they were made by normal people risking death for ‘counterfeiting’. We have a group of these ‘Barbarous Radiates’ that all show a head on the obverse and different reverses, but as they are crudely made, the first to order will get the best. Add to your collection an ancient coin of the people who risked death just to help out their local area, a local coin for local people!

Vabalathus. A.D. 271-272., Antioch. Billon Antonianus. 'VABALATHVS V C R IM D R' Laureate bust right / 'IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG' Radiate bust of Aurelian right. Good Very Fine & Very Scarce. Made by Zenobia to try to legitimise her regime.

Vetranio. A.D. 350. Siscia. Billon Maiorina. Laureate bust right / 'HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS' Vetranio standing left holding Chi-Rho banner & spear, being crowned by Victory on right. Extremely Fine & Scarce. A clear link to Constantine with 'under this sign you shall conqueror' in latin.