Triton XVII, Lot: 816. Estimate $7500. Sold for $14000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Galla Placidia. Augusta, AD 421-450. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.42 g, 12h). Aquileia mint. Struck circa May-October AD 425. D N GALLA PLA CIDIA P F AVG, pearl-diademed and draped bust right, with Christogram on shoulder; manus Dei above, crowning her / VOT XX MVLT XXX, Victory standing left, holding long cross in right hand; A-Q//COMOB. RIC X 1808 and pl. 47 (same obv.die); Depeyrot 23/2; Paolucci 825; Sagramora 731. EF. Rare.

From the RAJ Collection. Ex Gemini I (11 January 2005), lot 487; Leu 77 (11 May 2000), lot 757.

Following the death of Honorius in August of 423 and the hesitation of Theodosius II in nominating a new Western emperor, Johannes, a civil servant, was raised to the purple. Theodosius in turn elevated Galla Placidia’s son Valentinian III, about four years old at the time, to the rank of Caesar. Eastern forces were sent to reclaim the West, and Johannes was captured in May of 424.

We know Galla Placidia and Valentinian III were staying in Aquileia between May and early August of 425 before moving on to Rome for the proclamation of Valentinian as Augustus on the 23 October, and it is likely this issue was struck during their stay (it was also in Aquileia that Johannes was executed in June or July of the same year). Thus, this issue is the first of Galla Placidia’s restored rule in the West.