Ave!

Galeria Valeria, Follis, Venus reverse, Scarce bust type

Æ Follis; 25mm/6.0gm    Struck ca. 308-311 AD.

Con/ Well-centered with a fine portrait and sharp reverse; heavy dark green patina, about Very Fine.

Obv/ GALERIA VALERIA (no break) AVG; diademed and draped bust right, shoulders facing, wearing imperial mantle and pearl necklace.

Rev/ VENERI VICTRICI, Venus standing left, holding apple and raising drapery from shoulder;  Crescent in left field, Γ in right field.

Siscia mint; SIS in exergue.

Ref/ RIC Vol VI 2121 var.; Sear 14590

Seller's Note/ Galeria Valeria issues are not exactly rare, but this one with diademed and draped bust right, shoulders facing, wearing imperial mantle and pearl necklace, is hard to find.

There are over 330 variations of Galeria Valeria's AE Venus types. Important for a precise identification are: headwear, obverse legend break (if any), bust fully right or with facing shoulders, the bust on a crescent or not, wearing a necklace or not, reverse legend break (if any), fieldmark(s) (if any) and mintmark. RIC does not distinguish between the busts wearing a robe or an imperial mantle.