Ancient Roman Silver Coin of Emperor Philip II (Imperial Son Raised to the Throne)

Own a Silver Coin from the Ten-Year-Old Co-Emperor Who Was Dead Before He Turned Fifteen

A real silver-washed antoninianus of Philip II — elevated to Caesar at seven and full Augustus at ten by his father Philip the Arab, killed by the Praetorian Guard or in battle before his teenage years were over, a brief life that perfectly captures the desperate dynastic failures of the Crisis of the Third Century. NGC certified.

✓ NGC Certified
✓ Guaranteed Authentic
✓ 30-Day Returns

👑 Proclaimed Caesar at age seven, Augustus at age ten — his father's attempt to establish a dynasty in an era when dynasties lasted months, not generations
🏛 Reverse features military symbols, imperial virtue personifications, or succession imagery — the hopeful propaganda of a dynasty that would last exactly five years
🤲 Struck AD 247–249 — one of the youngest co-emperors in Roman history, dead before he could become a man. NGC certified.

Own This Piece of History

Why This Coin Matters

The story of Philip II is the story of the Crisis of the Third Century compressed into a single brief life. His father Philip the Arab rose from provincial origins to the imperial throne in AD 244 and immediately did what every Crisis-era emperor did when trying to secure his position — he named his son as successor. Philip II became Caesar at approximately seven years old. By AD 247, at the age of ten, he had been elevated to full Augustus, co-emperor of the Roman world, his radiate-crowned portrait appearing on coins distributed across the empire.

The dynastic strategy was logical. It was also entirely ineffective. When the general Trajan Decius was proclaimed emperor by the Danubian legions in AD 249 and marched on Philip, the entire carefully constructed succession collapsed in days. Philip the Arab was killed in battle near Verona. In Rome, simultaneously, the teenage Philip II was murdered — either by the Praetorian Guard in the city or alongside his father on the battlefield, with ancient sources divided on the precise circumstances. He was approximately twelve years old.

The Philip dynasty lasted five years — one of dozens of failed attempts to restore stability during the fifty years of military anarchy that would not end until Diocletian's reforms in AD 284. This silver-washed antoninianus, bearing the youthful radiate portrait of a boy emperor, was struck during the brief window between his elevation and his death — a coin from one of Rome's shortest and most poignant co-imperial reigns. Certified by NGC.

Perfect for:

• Collectors of Crisis of the Third Century, child emperor, and Roman silver antoniniani
• History lovers drawn to Philip II, Philip the Arab, and Rome's failed dynastic experiments
• Young emperor portrait, radiate crown, and NGC certified silver enthusiasts
• Anyone seeking a historically extraordinary piece from one of Rome's most tragic brief reigns

What You'll Receive

• One authentic silver-washed antoninianus of Philip II
• Denomination: Antoninianus (double denarius)
• NGC certified for authenticity and preservation
• Struck AD 247–249 — similar to examples shown (each coin is unique)

Buy with Confidence

• Guaranteed authentic ancient coin
• Carefully sourced and verified
• 30-day return policy
• Secure shipping from the U.S.

New to Ancient Coins?

Start your journey here: kinzercoins.com/collections/im-new-to-ancient-coins