ROMAN EMPIRE - NOVEL Gratian (367-383). 9 siliques or 1 ½ scripulum ND (367-375), Trier. Av. D N GRATIA - NVS P F AVG. Bust right, diademed, draped and cuirassed. Rv. VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM / TROB. Victory advancing left, holding a palm in her left hand and a crown in her right. RIC.21e; Gold - 1.71 g - 14.5 mm - 6 h Beautiful vigorous strike, with the metal barely pinched at 2 o'clock (5 o'clock on the reverse). Fine scratches on the reverse. Beautiful golden patina. Superb. The unusual face value of one and a half scripula was equivalent to 3/8 of a solidus, or 9 siliques. Introduced by Constantine I at the same time as the semissis, which was a half solidus, it was minted sporadically until the end of the fourth century, and all known types are very rare. The introduction of the tremissis, a more practical coin of a third of a solidus, equivalent to 8 silicas, by Theodosius I around 383, eventually led to the establishment of the three-part Roman coinage system: solidus, semissis and tremissis, which remained in force until the Byzantine period.