Valerian I (AD 253–260) Roman Empire BI Double-Denarius NGC F

Valerian I — The Emperor Captured by Persia

This billon double-denarius represents Valerian I, the Roman emperor whose capture by Shapur I became one of antiquity’s most dramatic imperial defeats.

Coin Details

• Ruler: Valerian I
• Reign and issue period: AD 253–260
• Empire/region: Roman Empire
• Denomination: Double-denarius (antoninianus)
• Composition: BI (billon; silver-alloy coinage)
• NGC grade: F — Fine
• Sheldon-scale equivalent: 12
• Quantity supplied: One encapsulated coin

The Sheldon-scale number is an equivalent associated with the stated ancient-coin grade; it is not a separate numerical grade assigned to the coin.

Valerian I — Shared Rule and Eastern Catastrophe

Valerian came to power in AD 253 and ruled jointly with his son Gallienus, dividing responsibility for an empire under pressure. Valerian concentrated on the eastern provinces while Gallienus defended the Rhine and Danube regions.

During war with the Sasanian Empire, Valerian was captured by King Shapur I near Edessa in AD 260. No reigning Roman emperor had previously suffered such a fate, and the event intensified the political fragmentation of the third-century crisis.

What the Coin Tells Us

The antoninianus, often called a double-denarius, was a principal silver denomination of the period. Its rapidly declining fineness reflects the financial burden of war, frontier defense and repeated changes of government.

Valerian’s coinage projected military security and divine favor even as the empire confronted severe threats. The surviving pieces provide a direct contrast between official confidence and the reign’s catastrophic conclusion.

What You Will Receive

You will receive one billon double-denarius of Valerian I in an NGC Ancients holder, graded F (Fine). A specific mint, issue year, reverse design, inscription, weight or diameter is not promised unless expressly stated above.

Stock-photo notice: The photographs are representative of the product offering. The coin supplied may differ from the pictured example in portrait style, reverse design, inscriptions, centering, toning, surface appearance and other individual characteristics while remaining within the stated coin type and any expressly stated grade.