Roman Imperial Coins

Trajan. A.D. 98-117. Rome - A.D. 113. AR Denarius. Laureate bust right / 'S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI' Annona standing holding corn ears & cornucopiae, child at feet left; 'ALIM ITAL' in exergue. Slight obverse pitting, Very Fine & Scarce type. The 'Alimenta Italiae' charity lasted 150 years & used the interest from landowner loans to feed orphan children.

Trajan. A.D. 98-117., Rome - A.D. 109. AR Denarius. Laureate bust right / 'COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC' Arabia standing left holding branch & cinnamon sticks; camel at feet left. Very Fine & Scarce.

Trajan. A.D. 98-117., Rome - A.D. 115. AR Denarius. Laureate bust right / 'COS VI P P S P Q R' Naked Bonus Eventus stg. left holding patera & corn ears. Flan edge split, Extremely Fine.

Trebonianus Gallus. A.D. 251-253., Antioch - A.D. 251-252. Billon Antoninianus. Radiate bust right / 'ADVENTVS AVG' Emperor on horseback left saluting & holding sceptre. Good Very Fine & Scarce.

Pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right / 'VOT / X / MVL / XX' in four lines; all within wreath; 'ANT' in ex. Flan crack, About Extremely Fine & Scarce. Valens was annihilated by the Goths at Hadrianopolis.

Valens. A.D. 364-378., Trier - A.D. 368-375. AR Siliqua. Diademed bust right / 'VRBS ROMA' Roma enthroned left holding Victory on globe & sceptre; 'TRPS' in exergue. About Extremely Fine.

Valerian was from a traditional Roman senatorial family and had a long, distinguished career. In A.D. 253, at 58, he was declared emperor and his son, Gallienus, was made joint ruler. Valerian left Gallienus in the West and took command in the East. He campaigned against the Persians and restored order but, in A.D. 260 he and his army were captured alive by the Persian king, Shapur. Legends talk of Shapur using Valerian as a footstool, a mounting step and feeding him molten gold; then flaying him and placing the skin on display. But, in all stone carvings on the necropolis of Naghshe-Rostamhat, Valerian is showing holding hands with Shapur in submission as a living prisoner. Also, Band-e Kaisar (Caesar’s Dam) near modern Shushtar, Iran was built around the time of Valerian with Roman techniques, alien to anything around. I suspect he and his captured army was put to work! We may never know sadly, a mystery lost to time. What you can have though is a coin from his reign, before he was captured! We have a little group of his billon silver Antoninianus in Very Fine condition. Enjoy your coin of the ensnared emperor.

Valerian I. A.D. 253-260. Lugdunum - A.D. 258. AR Antoninianus. Radiate bust right / 'DEO VOLCANO' Vulcan standing left holding hammer & tongs, anvil to left; all within tetrastyle temple. Very Fine & Very Scarce.