Aureus - Valerianus VICTORIA AVGG; Victory
| Gold | - | - |
| Issuer | Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Valerian (Publius Licinius Valerianus) (253-260) Gallienus (Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus) (253-268) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 253-257 |
| Value | Aureus (25⁄2) |
| Currency | Antoninianus, Reform of Caracalla (AD 215 – 301) |
| Composition | Gold |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#285924 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
Victory, winged, draped, walking right, holding wreath in right hand and palm in left hand.
Script: Latin
Lettering: VICTORIA AVGG
Translation:
Victoria Duorum Augustorum.
Victory of the two emperors (Augusti).
Comment
Source:Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE)
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Aureus - Valerianus (VICTORIA AVGG; Victory) coin is that it features the first recorded use of the Christian symbol, the Chi-Rho, on a Roman coin. The Chi-Rho is a combination of the Greek letters chi (X) and rho (P), which represent the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, "Christos." This symbol was used by early Christians to secretly identify themselves and was later adopted as a symbol of the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great. The inclusion of the Chi-Rho on this coin suggests that Christianity was already gaining prominence in the Roman Empire during the reign of Valerianus, who ruled from 253 to 257 AD.