Valerian I BI Double Denarius AD 253-260 Ch VF

The double denarius, sometimes called an antoninianus or aurelianianus, was a result of inflation in the Roman Empire.  In 215 AD, Caracalla stopped production of the regular silver denarius and introduced the double denarius, which only used 1.5x the material of a regular denarius.  In 274 AD under Aurelian, the composition of double denarii changed from a silver alloy to bronze with a silver coating.  Some consider double denarii from 274 and beyond to be a different denomination (aurelianiani) than previous double denarii (antoniniani).  On a double denarius’s obverse, emperors are depicted wearing a radiate crown and empresses are pictured with a crescent moon under their shoulders.  This specific double denarius was minted during the reign of Valerian I.

Publius Licinius Valerianus, better known as Valerian I, was an emperor of Rome from 253 to 260 AD.  He was a consul during Severus Alexander’s rule (222 to 235) and was instrumental in persuading the Senate to support Gordian I’s revolt against Maximinus.  Under Gallus’s rule (251 to 253) he commanded a military force on the Upper Rhine.  When Aemilian declared himself emperor 253, Valerian mobilized his army to reinforce Gallus’s in the conflict.  Gallus died before Valerian could reach him, but the threat of Valerian’s army caused Aemilian’s troops to mutiny.  Valerian was then declared the new emperor.  He named his son, Gallienus, joint emperor to rule the western part of the empire.  Valerian then traveled east to combat invasion by the Persians.  In June 260, he was taken prisoner and died in captivity, making Gallienus the sole emperor of Rome.

This coin was graded Ch VF (choice very fine) by the Numismatic Grading Company, the official grading service of the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild.  Here is a list of grades used by the NGC, as well as information about Strike, Surface, and Style ratings.

Obverse: VALERIANUS PF AVG (Valerianus Pius Felix Augustus, translation: Valerian, Pious and Happy Emperor); radiate, draped, and curiassed bust right
Reverse: ORIENS AVGG (Oriens Augusti, translation: the rising Sun of the Emperor), Sol advancing left, right hand raised, left hand holding whip

Reference: RCV 9952, RIC V.1 12, RSC 143a