Antoninianus - Gallienus SPES PVBLICA; Spes
| Silver | - | - |
| Issuer | Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Gallienus (Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus) (253-268) Valerian (Publius Licinius Valerianus) (253-260) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 257-259 |
| Value | Antoninianus (1) |
| Currency | Antoninianus, Reform of Caracalla (AD 215 – 301) |
| Composition | Silver |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#286526 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
Spes, draped, walking left, holding flower in right hand and raising robe with left hand.
Script: Latin
Lettering: SPES PVBLICA
Translation:
Spes Publica.
Hope of the public.
Comment
Source:Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE)
Interesting fact
The Antoninianus coin was introduced by the Roman Emperor Gallienus in 257 AD as a replacement for the denarius, which had been the standard Roman currency for centuries. The Antoninianus was made of silver, but its value was not based on the weight of the metal, but rather on its official value, which was set by the Roman government. This made it the first Roman coin to use a fiat currency system, where the value of the coin was determined by the government rather than its intrinsic value. This system allowed the Roman government to finance its military campaigns and other expenses by simply minting more coins, without having to worry about the cost of producing them.