Monday, October 09, 2006
Billon antoninianus, Valerian, Rome, Göbl 59c
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | P M TR P IIII COS III P P, Radiate Sol advancing left, cloak flying right, raising right hand.
While coins of Imperial Rome weren't dated, they did sometimes list the titles of the Emperor, which were sometimes of annual offices and included counts. The legend on the reverse shows was minted when Valerian held the office of tribune for the 4th time (TR P IIII) and was consul for the 3th time(COS III): the year beginning September 255.
US coins (and many modern coins of other nations) can be collected by date, with designs that are used for years unchanged except for the date. While collecting Roman coins isn't like that, it is rewarding to see that some unambiguously state the date.
