Valentinianus III?

[Daniel-Alexandru B]

Hello, could someone help me identify this coin? I can't read the legend, all the letters are very similar, but I think it could be from Valentinianus III. Opinions?

[Curtis JJ]

This one is going to be Valentinian II, I believe. The Valentinian III ones are much cruder and style (larger bust & big, sloppy letters).

This is what a Val III would look like: [LINK].


Here are more examples for Valentinian II on Warren Esty's useful site: Valentinian II: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/type39V2i.html

And for comparison, if you search these terms in ACSearch you'll get >100 search results combining Val II, Val III, and some imitatives: valentinian victory drag captive (cut and paste into https://acsearch.info). (Trying different methods, I still can't link the search directly.)

The reverse type is SALVS REIPVBLICAE. Victory dragging bound captive with trophy over her shoulder.

I highly recommend Warren Esty's site on Late Roman reverse types. This is Esty Type 39:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/type39.html

Notice that his page continues with sub-pages showing multiple examples for each of the various Emperors, including Valentinian II.

A cute little coin, I like it. I have a sub-collection of Victory-dragging-captives AE4s; these (or similar types) were struck under most of the Roman Emperors from Theodosius to Zeno, i.e. late 4th/5th centuries.
I don't know what the mintmark is saying but with some work you can probably narrow it down.

[Daniel-Alexandru B]

Thank you, the link you recommended is highly interesting. I am just starting to understand and differentiate the coins from the late western emperors.

[Arinda D]

They sure can be beautiful.

This one I won at an auction in 2020, lot of 20 Roman coins including this one from Valentinian III

[Curtis JJ]

That's a nice little scarce-to-rare AE4, Arinda D! One of the few Valentinian III AE4 types that seem to be in somewhat better style. I don't have RIC X, but according to Esty's page (Type 67) they were struck at Cyzicus and Constantinople. If the exergue is off the flan, I'm not sure if there are any stylistic indicators of which mint, but either way, nice coin.

See also:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/type67.html

[SC]

The obverse legend looks odd - a "barbaric" imitation?

SC

[pippo72]

Old topic, but... I am sure. Valentinian II salus- Alexandria mint (ALEA)