Denarius - Galba VIRTVS, Virtus and Victory

Galba's reign lasted just seven months, from June 68 to January 69 AD, ending when the Praetorian Guard murdered him in the Roman Forum and kicked his severed head through the streets. The VIRTVS type belongs to a coinage program that was deeply political from the start — Galba struck heavily on themes of military virtue and divine sanction to legitimize a claim built on revolt against Nero rather than dynastic succession.

RIC I 114 is among the more frequently encountered of his scarce types, produced at Rome after Galba's arrival in the city in October 68. Still, Galban silver is rare relative to almost any other first-century emperor simply by virtue of the reign's brevity.