Valerian II Antoninianus — Young Caesar of the Valerian Dynasty

Own a Coin from Gallienus's Son During the Crisis of the Third Century

A real Roman antoninianus of Valerian II—son of Gallienus and grandson of Valerian I, elevated to the rank of Caesar during one of the Roman Empire's most dangerous periods and dead only a few years later under uncertain circumstances.

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📷 Coin shown is a representative example. You will receive one authentic NGC-certified antoninianus of Valerian II. Each coin is unique and will vary in strike, centering, silvering, patina, preservation, and overall appearance.

👑 Son of Gallienus and grandson of Valerian I, elevated as Caesar to strengthen the imperial dynasty
🏛 Associated with the Danubian and Illyrian regions during the Crisis of the Third Century
🤲 An NGC-certified antoninianus from a young Caesar whose life and death remain poorly documented

Own This Piece of History

Why This Coin Matters

By the mid-third century, Emperor Valerian I and his son Gallienus were attempting to govern an empire threatened on multiple frontiers.

Gallienus's son Valerian II was elevated to the rank of Caesar, making him an important junior member of the ruling dynasty. He was associated with the Danubian and Illyrian regions and placed under the supervision of experienced commanders.

Valerian II is often described as a teenager, but his exact birth date and age are not securely known. The surviving evidence tells us far less about his personal life than later reconstructions sometimes imply.

He died around AD 258 under uncertain circumstances. Ancient sources are sparse and contradictory, and neither his exact age nor the cause of his death can be established confidently.

His death was a serious dynastic loss, but it did not extinguish Gallienus's succession plans. Gallienus's other son, Saloninus, was subsequently Caesar and remained an imperial heir until his own death during the revolt of Postumus in AD 260.

Valerian II's coinage therefore belongs to the early stages of a succession strategy that would unravel through a series of disasters rather than through his death alone.

This antoninianus preserves the portrait of a young imperial Caesar whose brief life unfolded during one of Rome's most unstable generations.

Perfect For

• Collectors of the Crisis of the Third Century
• Collectors of the Valerian dynasty
• History lovers fascinated by Roman imperial succession
• Collectors of short-lived Caesars
• NGC-certified ancient coin collectors

What You'll Receive

• One authentic antoninianus of Valerian II
• Ruler: Valerian II, Caesar
• Period: c. AD 256–258
• Denomination: Antoninianus
• NGC certified for authenticity and preservation
• Presented in an NGC holder
• Representative example of the type (each coin is unique)

Continue the Story

After Valerian II's death, Saloninus remained part of Gallienus's dynastic succession until the revolt of Postumus in AD 260. Their deaths illustrate how rapidly the imperial family's plans collapsed during the Crisis of the Third Century.

Buy with Confidence

• NGC certified for authenticity and preservation
• Carefully sourced and verified
• 30-day return policy
• Secure shipping from the U.S.

Learn More

Continue the story in the Kinzer Coins Journal: Roman Soldier-Emperors: Collecting the Crisis of the Third Century.