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AE3, Aquileia, Valens and Victory
23.7.2020
..from Ancient Roman coins.
I'm dipping a toe into coin collecting, I just bought my first coin!
Any idea where/who it's from?
 fig. 1
Clccare sulle immagini per ingrandire
Roma, 1.8.2020
Dear,
significant elements concerning the coin above are summarized below:

AE31, mint of Aquileia, 24/8/367÷17/11/375 A.D.2, RIC IX 12(b), type xviii(a) (page 96), rarity index "C".

Short summary (worn or illegible parts of the legend are indicated in red):
D. D N VALEN-S PF AVG3. Valens, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right.
R. SECVRITAS - REIPVBLICAE4. SMAQP5 in exergue; star in left field. Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm.

A search on the web for coins of the type of figure has produced the following results:

  1. https://ikmk.smb.museum/object?id=18201361 Valens 367-375 n. Chr. Münzkabinett der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin Nomisma NDP. Ausstellung im Bode-Museum Room 242, BM-034/166 Die Spätantike bis 395 n. Chr. Obverse: D N VALEN-S P F AVG. Drapierte Panzerbüste des Valens mit Diadem in der Brustansicht nach r. Reverse: SECVRITAS - REIPVBLICAE // SMAQP. Victoria schreitet nach l. Sie hält in der l. Hand einen Palmzweig und in ihrer r. einen Kranz. Im l. F. ein Stern. Sitter/s Valens Info dnb viaf nomisma wikipedia NDP Class/status Ancient Ruler's issue NDP. Authority Valens Info dnb viaf nomisma wikipedia NDP. Date: 367-375 n. Chr. Römische Spätantike http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300020666 NDP. Denomination Aes 3Info Nomisma NDP. Material: Bronze Nomisma NDP. Production struck. NDP Weight 2,23g. Diameter 18mm. Die-axis 12h. Mint Aquileia Nomisma geonames NDP Region ItaliaNomisma NDP Country
    ItalienNomismageonames NDP. Publications RIC IX Nr. 12 b (367-375 n. Chr.). Object number 18201361.
  2. http://www.ikmk.at/object?id=ID121458 Valens 367–375 n. Chr. Münzkabinett, KHM. Inventory no RÖ 36306. Obverse: D N VALEN - S P F AVG. Büste des Valens nach rechts mit Perlendiadem und Paludament über Cüraß (PDiad2PCv). Reverse: SECVRITAS - REI PVBLICAE; Beizeichen: ٭ - // SMAQS. Victoria eilt nach links, mit Kranz und Palmzweig. Sitter/s Valens. Info dnb viaf nomisma wikipedia NDP. Class/status Ancient Ruler's issue NDP. Authority Valens Info dnb viaf nomisma wikipedia NDP. Date: 367–375 n. Chr. Römische Spätantike  NDP. Denomination: Aes 3Info Nomisma NDP. Material Copper. Nomisma NDP. Production struck NDP. Weight 2,82g. Diameter 18,5mm. Die-axis 7h. Mint Aquileia Nomisma geonames NDP. Region ItaliaNomisma NDP. Country ItalienNomismageonames NDP. Publications RIC IX, 12b (xviiib); LRBC, 1036 (Typ). Web Portals http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.9.aq.12B Info godparenthood
    nicht vergeben (EUR 25,-).
I conclude observing that general and style characteristics of the coin above do not differ from those of the coins of the same type found in the web. The physical characteristics of the coin are missing, which is why a comparative examination with the authentic coins of the period is not possible. In the present conservation state, the figure coin, if authentic, is worth, in my opinion, about thirty euros.

Best regards.
Giulio De Florio

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Annotations:

(1) Æ3. I have collected in the table below the physical characteristics of the coins above:
Riferimenti Peso(g.) Asse di conio (ore) Diametro(mm)
Link1 2,23 12 18
Link2 2,82 7 18,5
In absence of the physical characteristics of the coin in question, it will not be possible to carry out a comparative examination with the authentic coins of the period.
(2) In the period in question the same typology was struck in the name of:

  • DN VALENTI-NIANVS PF AVG (born in 321, emperor from 364 to the death in 375) - RIC IX 12(a), type xviii (a) (Prima officina);
  • DN VALEN-S PF AVG (brother of Valentinian, born in 328, Orient emperor from 364 to the death in 378) - RIC IX 12(b), type xviii (a) (Prima officina);
  • DN GRATIA-NVS PF AVG (son of Valentinian, born in 359, emperor from 375 to the death in 383) - RIC IX 12(c), type xviii (b) (Secunda officina).
(3) D N VALEN-S PF AVG (Dominus Noster VALENS Pius Felix AVGustus). Valens was eastern Roman emperor from 364 to 378. He was given the eastern half of the empire by his brother Valentinian I after the latter's accession to the throne, while Valentinian maintained the occidental part and the general guide of the empire. He largely followed the older brother policies but, unlike of him, embraced Arianism Christian. Intolerant man, he persecuted sporadically the Orthodox Christians. In 365 he repressed the revolt of Procopius, ally with the Goths. He embarked on a military campaign against the Visigoths of Athanaric and defeated them in 369. Uncertain was his attitude towards the Persians who threatened Armenia but in 376 he concluded with them a peace agreement. In 376 he admitted in the territory of the empire the Visigoths of Fritigernus but these later, dissatisfied with the Romans, rebelled and in 378 killed Valens in the battle of Adrianople, destroying two thirds of his army.
(4) SECVRITAS - REIPVBLICAE (Security of the Republic). SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE types were struck in the 4th century in the name of Constantinus I, Constantinus II, Costantius II, Crispus, Helena, Fausta but particularly abundant were those in the name of Valentinian and Valens.
(5) SMAQP. According to RIC, the mint mark SMAQP in exergue is one of the many in a succession which develops over the years between 28/3/364 (Valens elevation) and 9/8/378 A. D. (Valens death). The mint mark SMAQP means "Sacra Moneta AQuileia Prima", where "Prima" (P) is the first of two officinae operating at the mint. The identification of a Q in the mint mark and the presence of a star in the left field make certain the classification of the coin as reported above (RIC IX 12 (b), type xviii(a)).
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