Æ20 - Valerian and Gallienus ϹΑΜ/ΙΩΝ

Samos minted prolifically under the joint reign of Valerian and Gallienus, exploiting the brief window of imperial co-rule before Valerian's catastrophic capture by Shapur I at the Battle of Edessa in 260 — the first Roman emperor taken prisoner by a foreign enemy. Provincial mints throughout the conventus of Miletus issued coinages honoring both emperors simultaneously, a practice that ceased abruptly when Valerian's capture effectively ended his reign. The precise dating of individual issues within this 253–260 window is difficult; most attributions rely on die study rather than documentary evidence.