Author Topic: Valens FELICITAS ROMANORVM  (Read 1979 times)

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Offline Victor

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Valens FELICITAS ROMANORVM
« on: September 11, 2012, 06:14:14 PM »
Here is a rare type that I found as I was sorting through a pile of coins that I was going to list on E-bay starting for a dollar-- I am glad that I noticed that the legend was different!


“Can we doubt that the rare AE 3 Felicitas Romanorum echoes the ‘felicitas publica’ with which Symmachus (Ep. 1.13) tells Ausonius that Gratian’s accession to supreme authority on the death of his father was hailed? Until quite recently the coin was known for him alone; its interest centres in Gratian, who has the very unusual distinction of being represented on the obverse with ‘bust l.’ as well as with the normal ‘bust r.’ The issue seems certainly to be medallic in purpose and may suggest a visit of Gratian to north Italy to consolidate his position as regent for his young half-brother, Valentinian II.”    RIC IX pg. 86



Valens
A.D. 375- 378
18mm   2.0gm
DN VALEN-S PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
FELICITAS ROMANORVM, Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm
In ex. SMAQP, in left field B over dot.
RIC IX  Aquileia 16b

Offline Victor

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Re: Valens FELICITAS ROMANORVM
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2015, 01:58:41 PM »
I picked up this nice example of this rare type...unfortunately the picture is not so great