Valentinian III (AD 425–455). Western Roman Empire.
Æ4 Bronze Nummus — NGC F.
Obverse: DN PLA VALENTINIANVS PF AVG — Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Valentinian III right.
Reverse: Typical types include VICTORIA AVGGG — Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm, or SALVS REIPVBLICAE — Victory walking, bearing cross. Mintmark in exergue.
Specifications:
Denomination: AE4 (small bronze nummus)
Diameter: ~10–12 mm
Weight: ~0.8–1.5 g (varies)
Mint: Struck at Rome, Ravenna, or other Western mints (depending on mintmark)
References: RIC X (issues under Valentinian III)
Historical Note:
Valentinian III reigned for three decades during the empire’s decline in the West, though real power was often in the hands of generals such as Flavius Aetius. His rule coincided with dramatic events: Attila the Hun’s invasions, the sack of Rome by the Vandals in 455, and the continuing fragmentation of imperial authority.
These diminutive AE4 bronzes reflect the shrinking scale of late Roman currency, yet they still carried potent imagery. Victory on the reverse symbolized divine favor and military success — a hopeful message in an era of crisis.
Collecting Note:
Despite its modest size and grade (NGC F), this coin embodies the last phase of official Roman bronze coinage in the West. Certified examples are sought after for their authenticity and as tangible relics of the empire’s final century.
Valentinian III (AD 425–455). Western Roman Empire.
Æ4 Bronze Nummus — NGC F.
Obverse: DN PLA VALENTINIANVS PF AVG — Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Valentinian III right.
Reverse: Typical types include VICTORIA AVGGG — Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm, or SALVS REIPVBLICAE — Victory walking, bearing cross. Mintmark in exergue.
Specifications:
Denomination: AE4 (small bronze nummus)
Diameter: ~10–12 mm
Weight: ~0.8–1.5 g (varies)
Mint: Struck at Rome, Ravenna, or other Western mints (depending on mintmark)
References: RIC X (issues under Valentinian III)
Historical Note:
Valentinian III reigned for three decades during the empire’s decline in the West, though real power was often in the hands of generals such as Flavius Aetius. His rule coincided with dramatic events: Attila the Hun’s invasions, the sack of Rome by the Vandals in 455, and the continuing fragmentation of imperial authority.
These diminutive AE4 bronzes reflect the shrinking scale of late Roman currency, yet they still carried potent imagery. Victory on the reverse symbolized divine favor and military success — a hopeful message in an era of crisis.
Collecting Note:
Despite its modest size and grade (NGC F), this coin embodies the last phase of official Roman bronze coinage in the West. Certified examples are sought after for their authenticity and as tangible relics of the empire’s final century.
