Æ25 - Valerian and Gallienus ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ

Nicaea was one of the most prolific civic minting authorities in Bithynia during the joint reign of Valerian and Gallienus, exploiting the brief window of imperial stability before Valerian's capture by Shapur I at the Battle of Edessa in 260 AD — an event that effectively ended provincial bronze production under his name. The city's coins from this period circulated locally against a backdrop of severe third-century monetary debasement at the imperial level, making these civic bronzes a relatively stable medium of exchange in the region.