Regalian and Dryantilla
The Coin Cabinet of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna has been given the unique opportunity to acquire 22 coins from Regalian and Dryantilla. These are the only Roman coins to have been minted in what is now Austria and thus represent a significant part of Austria's cultural heritage.
After the capture of Emperor Valerian by the Sasanians in 260 AD, Regalian, commanding general of the Roman province of Pannonia, had himself proclaimed Roman emperor in the garrison town of Carnuntum, just 40 kilometres east of Vienna. To secure his usurpation, Regalian immediately minted coins bearing his image and that of his wife Dryantilla.
An Austrian collector has collected these coins over decades and has now offered them for sale to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. They are as rare as the famous "Blue Mauritius" stamp, as there are only around 160 coins of Regalian and Dryantilla in the world. Around two thirds of them are privately owned, which means they are not accessible to the public.
The history of the coins' creation is also fascinating: As there was no mint in Carnuntum, they were simply minted on older coins. Remnants of the old coinage can often still be seen. These overstruck coins were already several decades old at the time and had a much higher silver value, making them highly sought-after in the year 260.
We do not want to miss the opportunity to add these very special coins to the museums collection in order to make these precious objects permanently accessible to ALL!
Acquiring these coins, which are important in terms of art and cultural history, represents an enormous financial challenge for the museum. The support of the public is therefore particularly important and will help to preserve and expand the collections of the Kunsthistorisches Museum for future generations!
We look forward to your support!
Image: Copper engraving of a coin of Regalianus from 1767, RÖ 20746.
