coin
- Museum number
- 2012,4069.1
- Description
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Silver coin. (whole)
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Bust of Valentinian II right, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed. (obverse)
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Chi-Rho Christogram within laurel-wreath. (reverse)
- Production date
- 375-378
- Dimensions
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Die-axis: 12 o'clock
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Diameter: 19 millimetres (max)
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Weight: 1.58 grammes
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- The reverse of the coin consists of Chi-Rho Christogram within wreath (☧), the first two letters of Christ’s name in Greek adopted as Constantine the Great’s victorious symbol during the battle of the Milvian bridge (AD 312). The obverse bears the effigy of Valentinian II – its small size is intended to show the subject as a minor although the features are that of an adult. Valentinian II was born in AD 372, and reigned AD 375-92. However the mintmark of the coin, SISCP, besides indicating its manufacture at Siscia (now Sisak, near modern Zagreb) is of the form current in the coinage of Valentinian’s brother emperor Gratian (AD 367-83) during his tenth anniversary (decennalia) coinage of AD 376-7. By the fifteenth anniversary coinage of Valentinian’s uncle Valens (AD 364-78) which fell just prior to his death at the battle of Hadrianople in AD 378 this had changed to SISCPS. We can thus date this particular issue to the overlap and the first three years of the child-emperor’s reign.
Gratian’s decennalia coinage also bore a tiny Christogram in the central jewel of the wreath which enclosed the record of vows fulfilled for the ten years of rule and offered up more for the future twentieth jubilee (“VOT X MVLT XX”). The current coin is a likely parallel issue for the younger brother who had yet to celebrate such a jubilee.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
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Exhibited:
2014 Oct 14 - London, BM, G2, 'Collecting the World'
- Acquisition date
- 2012
- Department
- Money and Medals
- Registration number
- 2012,4069.1
- Additional IDs
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Treasure/PAS number: 2010T177 (Treasure number)
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Treasure/PAS number: DOR-A1CCB1 (PAS Database Number)