After the capture of Emperor Valerian by the Sasanians in 260 CE, Regalian, either governor of the Roman province of Pannonia or commanding general, had himself proclaimed Roman emperor in the garrison town of Carnuntum, just 40 kilometres east of Vienna. To secure his usurpation, Regalian immediately minted coins bearing his counterfeit and that of his wife Dryantilla.
These coins are an important part of Austria‘s cultural heritage. An Austrian collector has collected the pieces over decades and has now offered 22 of them to the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
The rarity of the coins is comparable to the famous Mauritius "Post Office" stamps, as in total there are only around 130 coins by Regalian and Dryantilla in the world. About two thirds of them are privately owned, which means they are not accessible to the public.
