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 Replies: 13 / Views: 1,333 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
Hi everyone, this Valentinian is in the process of being cleaned. And, as always, it looks a lot better in hand than it does from my scans. I am fairly certain that the reverse depicts the emperor with a captive to his left. However, I am not certain that I can make out the mint mark. Any guesses?   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Are you sure it's a Valentinian? There doesn't look like there would be enough space for his name. Looks more like it's Valens. If I am correct your coin would be Valens, RIC IX 15b Rome.
Edited by VisigothKing
02/16/2012 10:57 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2044 Posts |
It looks like a Valens to me as well. Sometimes if you can't read the letters, the placement and number of letters can give you an idea of what the coin is.
D N VALEN-S P F AVG
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3499 Posts |
Thanks, everyone! I appreciate it! I guess that this is my first Valens. So any guesses as to the rarity and/or possible value of my coin once it is cleaned?
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Interesting mint mark, haven't come across this one before. I agree it's Valens RIC IX Rome 15B type XII (b), listed as rare.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
According to Helveticas it is rated Rare (doesn't give a number like R1, R2 etc).
NVM echizento got it
Edited by VisigothKing
02/16/2012 11:33 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
echizento- Thanks for the input! I'm glad to hear that it is rare. I actually just paid $4 for it as part of an uncleaned lot. So do you think that it is at least worth what I paid?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Kind of a coincidence actually. A few days ago I identified a Valens dragging captive type from Rome with a similar MM, RSECVNDA (or R dot SECVNDA - can't tell the first part). I believe it's listed as rare also.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
842 Posts |
I am trying to put together a set of this type of coin featuring this mintmark. I have RIC 17b and RIC 24b. They are exactly the same coin except one is R(dot)PRIMA and the second is RQVARTA without the dot that yours has.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
Thanks for the input, everyone. Sorry to ask again, but any guesses as to the value of my coin?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
Just in case anyone has missed the point, these are unusual examples of a time that for some reason the workshop or officina number was written out rather than abbreviated. If you are collecting these you may also want to watch for the other oddball series where the officina number is presented in the field in Roman numerals (not odd) with the label OF preceding it (odd!). One has to wander why this period saw fit to make the 'sign your work' rule so much more openly stated. Did they have a problem with poor workmanship and wanted to make a point to the workers that they were accountable?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
842 Posts |
Interesting post, dougsmit. As for the value of this coin, I would say in the neighborhood of $10 due to the condition and lack of patina in many areas. Still, I would love to have one even in this condition for my set. These are very difficult to come by! Nice find.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
dougsmit & ancientcoinguy- Thanks for the input! I really appreciate it!
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Replies: 13 / Views: 1,333 |
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Posted 02/16/2012 10:57 pm
