Obverse: DN VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C; Laureate, Draped, and Cuirassed Bust of Licinius Junior Facing Right
Reverse: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS; Jupiter Standing to the Left, Holding Victory and a Sceptre, a Palm Frond Lays at his Feet to the Left
Little is known about the life of Flavius Valerius Licinianus Licinius. He was the son of Emperor Licinius and served under him as Caesar from 317-324 A.D. Other than that, we know that he was executed along with his father by Constantine the Great when he discovered that both father and son were plotting against him.
How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial to Licinius Junior's brief reign passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day it was struck.
- (C.4322)
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