This sestertius of Valerian I, in large Roman bronze, is attached with very clear numismatic coherence to the LIBERALITAS AVGG / S C type of the mint of Rome, classified under RIC V.1 165 and MIR 66h, generally placed in the period AD 255–256; the combination of the imperial portrait to the right and the reverse with Liberalitas standing holding a tessera and a cornucopia corresponds exactly to the group published by the corpora and by specialized comparanda, while the stated metrology, 18.12 g for 29 mm, remains fully compatible with the series, Numista giving for this type a reference of 18.8 g and 30 mm. The sought-after character of the issue may be noted with due restraint, Numista assigning it a rarity index of 97, which places the type in a distinctly followed collecting category.

Analysis & expertise

Careful observation under ×10 magnification and raking light. The obverse presents a portrait of Valerian turned to the right, laureate, of immediately intelligible reading, whose general structure remains well preserved in the forehead, the eye, the nasal line, the mouth, and above all the beard, still readable in its mass; the laurel wreath retains a clear presence, and the peripheral legend, although partly softened by ancient circulation, remains sufficiently preserved to place the specimen within the group with titulature IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG. The edge of the flan, slightly irregular, together with the continuity of the border over broad segments, is fully consistent with an ancient striking of large bronze. The published obverse type for RIC 165 is indeed that of a laureate bust to the right, public references describing a laureate and cuirassed bust.

The reverse preserves a particularly secure typological reading, with Liberalitas standing left, holding in the right hand a tessera / distribution tablet and in the left a cornucopia, with S C in the fields; despite homogeneous wear in the fields, the essential attributes, the verticality of the figure, and the general economy of the scene remain very legible, which supports without difficulty the attribution to the LIBERALITAS AVGG type. The surface presents an old green and brown patina, stable in its overall character, with mineral nuances compatible with the long material history of a large Roman bronze; the whole thus retains a very sound, legible, and coherent cabinet presence. The reference descriptions for RIC V.1 165 give exactly this scene of Liberalitas holding tessera and cornucopiae, within a Rome sestertius dated to 255–256.

What favorably distinguishes this specimen, for an informed collector, lies in the combination of a sought-after type, well-centered metrology, a portrait that remains legible, and a reverse entirely identifiable in its concept, qualities which are precisely those that an enthusiast of mid-3rd-century bronzes expects from a sestertius of Valerian; the series itself is less common than the contemporary antoniniani, and the presence of a well-characterized large bronze of Liberalitas AVGG always constitutes a solid milestone in a serious and scholarly collection of the reign.

Characteristics

The object is defined as a sestertius of Valerian I, struck at Rome, in bronze / copper alloy, within the AD 255–256 group, with an observed weight of 18.12 g and a diameter of 29 mm; the obverse belongs to the type IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, laureate bust right, and the reverse to the type LIBERALITAS AVGG / S C, with Liberalitas standing left holding a tessera and a cornucopia. The principal bibliographic attribution is established as RIC V.1 165 and MIR 66h, with additional documentary coherence in specialized comparanda published under the same reference.

Historical context

This issue belongs to the phase of the reign in which Valerian rules jointly with Gallienus, and in which the formula AVGG on the reverse expresses precisely the liberality of the two Augusti; the choice of Liberalitas therefore does not belong to abstract decoration, but to an imperial vocabulary directly linked to the idea of distribution, public benefaction, and the presence of power within the city. Reference notices explicitly translate LIBERALITAS AVGG S C as the liberality of the two emperors, issued under senatorial authority, and classify this type among the large Roman bronzes of 255–256.

Cultural value

The cultural interest of this piece is high, because it combines a large imperial bronze, a strongly individualized portrait of Valerian, and a civic reverse of great doctrinal legibility; unlike the much more abundant debased silver denominations of the reign, the Rome sestertius here preserves a monumental presence that gives the figure of Liberalitas particularly strong impact. For a collection oriented toward 3rd-century bronzes, toward brief and difficult reigns, or toward issues of imperial liberality, this specimen has real interest, reinforced by the relative rarity of the type in collection surveys and on the specialized market.

Traceability & guarantees

Coming from a European provenance, from an established numismatic dealer, this specimen was acquired within the framework of a specialized international transaction, conducted in a recognized numismatic network and validated by leading experts, according to the highest standards of the art and heritage market; its examination retains only the stylistic, technical, epigraphic, and metrological characteristics actually observable, replaced within the framework of the Roman type Valerian I / LIBERALITAS AVGG / RIC V.1 165 and compared with the public and comparative references of the dossier. Each specimen is examined, described, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the standards of the art and heritage market; in the present case, the concordance between the portrait, the Liberalitas reverse, the module and weight data, the mint of Rome, and the references RIC V.1 165 / MIR 66h provides a particularly solid numismatic attribution.

Ref: BVRHO1KF4W