Roman Bronze Coins

Trebonianus Gallus was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers in A.D. 251 upon the death of Trajan Decius and Herennius Etruscus in the disastrous Battle of Abrittus. He spent his reign trying to stabilise the empire until he was killed by the usurper, Aemilian, in A.D. 253. At this time Viminacium was a city in Moesia Superior, modern Serbia. With 40,000 inhabitants it was given the right to mint local money. These Bronze coins are roughly 25mm and weight about 10g. They show Trebonianus Gallus’ head on the obverse with the goddess of Moesia on the reverse flanked by a lion and a bull. They grade Very Good and are priced accordingly. Trebonianus Gallus only ruled for two years, these will fill that gap in your collection well.

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.

Born about A.D. 328 Valens was the younger brother of the emperor Valentinian I. Trusted with the rule of the eastern provinces of the Empire, he spent much of his reign campaigning against the Goths and the Persians. In A.D. 376 Valens allowed the Gothic tribes to cross the Danube frontier and settle in Roman territory. But as a result of terrible treatment from the Roman Administrators (against Valen’s express orders), the Goths rebelled. Valens attacked prematurely, rushing into ‘The Battle of Adrianople’ unorganised. He was killed and his army almost wiped out! This loss meant the end of the traditional Roman Empire had begun. Valens was not gifted in war but cared for the general populace, relaxing taxes for the poor and living moderately. We offer his bronze coins showing his bust on the obverse and the emperor dragging a barbarian captive on the reverse. The reverse legend ‘GLORIA ROMANORVM’ refers to Valens as ‘The Glory of the Romans’ against the barbarians. Sadly, for him and his army, it appears the barbarians had the glory. These grade Very Fine, for the Glory of the Romans!

Born about A.D. 328 Valens was the younger brother of the emperor Valentinian I. Trusted with the rule of the eastern provinces of the Empire, he spent much of his reign campaigning against the Goths and the Persians. In A.D. 376 Valens allowed the Gothic tribes to cross the Danube frontier and settle in Roman territory. But as a result of terrible treatment from the Roman Administrators (against Valen’s express orders), the Goths rebelled. Valens attacked prematurely, rushing into ‘The Battle of Adrianople’ unorganized. He was killed and his army was almost wiped out! This loss meant the end of the traditional Roman Empire had begun. Valens was not gifted in war but cared for the general populace, relaxing taxes for the poor and living moderately. We offer his bronze coins showing his bust on the Obverse and the emperor dragging a barbarian captive on the reverse. The reverse legend ‘GLORIA ROMANORVM’ refers to Valens as ‘The Glory of the Romans’ against the barbarians. Sadly, for him and his army, it appears the barbarians had the glory. This grade is Fine, for the Glory of the Romans!

The father of Valentinian I was a Pannonian rope maker who had risen through the ranks of the army to hold high office in both Africa and Britain. Valentinian did the same, like father like son! When Jovian died mysteriously in A.D. 364 Valentinian was chosen as emperor by a group of officers. He was 42 years old and almost illiterate but, importantly was a devout Christian and superb military leader. He chose his younger brother Valens as co-emperor in the East, ruling the western empire from his capital at Milan, without ever visiting Rome! Both emperors spent most of the next decade defending the long frontiers of the empire. In A.D. 375 while meeting a deputation of the Quadi tribe he became so enraged by their arrogance that he suffered a seizure and dropped dead! Valentinian I worked hard to protect the empire, showed greater religious tolerance, and was frugal. We offer bronze coins of Valentinian I showing his bust on the obverse and Victory on the reverse. This is around the time Victory is started to be quietly linked to the Angels of Christianity. Here we offer the coin in Very Fine. they will fit your collection nicely.

Valentinian II (A.D. 375-392) was raised emperor at just four years old on the death of his father, Valentinian I, in A.D. 375. He never held real power and was found dead in his room at just 21 years old, by his own hand or Arbogast, his latest guardian, no one is sure to this day. Valentinian II makes mostly the same types as his father so they are very hard to tell apart, they did not put regnal numbers like we do. This bronze Half-Centenionalis coin is certainly Valentinian II as his father did not strike the denomination. At about 1cm across and roughly 1 gram, they are some of the smallest Roman coins ever struck! We have them in a Fine grade, fill this gap in your collection!

Vespasian. A.D 69-79. Rome - A.D. 71. Æ Sestertius. Laureate head of Vespasian right / 'PAX AVGVSTI' Pax standing left holding olive branch & cornucopiae. Good Very Fine/Very Fine & Scarce. Comes with auction envelope from 1934. Part of a series struck to celebrate peace after 5 years of war that almost broke the empire.

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.