Visigothic Coinage, Uncertain mint in Southern Gaul, Solidus in the name of Julius Nepos, 474-5, dn ivlivs nepvs, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, unsupported spear point behind head, rev. vitvri aavggg, Victory standing left holding cross, comob in exergue, 4.32g (RIC X p.205, plate 68, p.428 fn, same obv. die; MEC –). Test mark on obverse, otherwise nearly extremely fine with underlying mint bloom, very rare £4,000-£5,000

Provenance: Found on the Isle of Wight (PAS IOW-51C398).

Despite their blundered legends and obverse design Kent refrained from labelling this imitative issue of solidii as barabarous. Instead, he saw it as an official coinage struck by a local provincial administration in Southern Gaul. Given that the issue is dated to the start of Nepos’ reign these coins must be placed within the context of political change that occurred at the time. Following a series of military victories, in 475 Nepos was forced to recognise the Visigothic king Euric as a legitimate ruler of an independent kingdom. This coin possibly formed part of that process of legitimisation with the Emperor allowing Visigoths in Southern Gaul to strike official solidii in his name. If so, this issue would represent the very first coinage of the unified Visigothic kingdom