Valentinian II Roman AE2 (AD 375-392) NGC

Own a certified Roman bronze AE2 of Valentinian II (AD 375–392), authenticated and slabbed by NGC. This coin reflects the troubled reign of a young emperor who ruled in name but rarely in reality.

Valentinian II was the son of Emperor Valentinian I and was elevated to the throne at just four years old after his father’s death. Although he held the imperial title, true power in the West lay elsewhere: much of the territory was dominated by the usurper Magnus Maximus, while in Italy, his mother Justina effectively ruled as regent.

Throughout his reign, Valentinian II struggled to assert independent authority. Initially influenced by his mother’s support for Arian Christianity, he began to shift toward Nicene orthodoxy following her death. However, political instability continued to plague his court.

In 392 AD, amid rising tensions with his general Arbogast — a powerful Frankish commander who effectively controlled the government — Valentinian II was found dead, apparently strangled. His sudden death at age 21 led to widespread speculation and marked another dark chapter in the Western Empire’s decline.

Bronze AE2 coins of Valentinian II typically feature his youthful, diademed portrait on the obverse, with reverses emphasizing Roman virtues, military victories, or divine protection — themes increasingly distant from the empire’s political realities.

Certified by NGC, this AE2 coin offers collectors a poignant artifact from the twilight years of Rome’s Western imperial authority.