Here is an interesting and extremely rare coin type, the Marriage Solidus.  Coins have been used throughout history to act as messengers and perform propaganda for those in power or seeking power.  The Marriage Solidus does a little bit of both.  The Marriage Solidus was used to announce the wedding of the two individuals and try to convey a divine blessing for the current emperor and in one case the future one.

This particular coin is even more interesting than that!  It is in celebration of the wedding of the Western Emperor, Valentinian III, to the Licinia Eudoxia daughter of the Eastern Emperor, Theodosius II.  The wedding took place in Constantinople during the month of October 437, perhaps at the Church of Hagia Sophia.  This was to be the "Marriage of the Century" because it was conceived to reunify the Western and Eastern Empires.  Theodosius I had separated the empire into two parts, by giving a part to each of his sons, Arcadius (Eastern) and Honorius (Western).  It is hard to judge what his intention was, with the exception that as a father he realized that neither of his children were capable enough to control the entire empire.  During the next 50 years, both parts of the empire had there troubles with weak rulers, insurgents and invading barbarians.  Hopes were placed on this marriage to reunify the empire under one leader, the off-spring of this union.  Unfortunately, Valentinian III and Licinia Eudoxia only had a girl (maybe more than one) and without a male heir to inherit the throne more difficulties were brought to both sides of the empire.

There are only 4 different coins (with 12 specimens known in total, of which 2 are of questionable origin) that have the wedding reverse on them:  Theodosius II (above, 5/7 known specimens, 2 are questionable), Valentinian III (for the same occasion as above, 2 known specimens), Marcian (in his marriage to Pulcheria, 1 known specimen) and Anastasius (in his marriage to Ariadne, 2 known specimens).    The first two (Theodosius and Valentinian) have the Emperor Theodosius II uniting the couple and the second two have an image of Christ uniting the couples.  In both reverse types the legend FELICITER NUBTIIS is used, which loosely means "Happily Married".  Also, both types the figures are nimbate to illustrate their "divine nature".  About half of the known specimens are/were mounted in contemporary jewelry and therefore are significantly worn.

As to this specific piece, it is RIC-X-267, the most common of all of the Marriage Solidus with about 5/7 pieces known (2 questionable).  It has Valentinian III on the left, Theodosius II in the middle and Licinia Eudoxia on the right.  Licinia Eudoxia has a wonderful head-dress made of pearls, the first time a head-dress of this type is used on coinage. (All of Licinia Eudoxia's coinage has her wearing this particular piece.)  Interestingly, there are two symbols to suggest the superiority of the Eastern Empire versus the Western.  Notice that Theodosius II is the larger figure in the middle, acting as the God's agent in the marriage, when in fact Theodosius II and Valentinian III were actually supposed to be equals.  Second, notice that Licinia Eudoxia's hand is on top of Valentinian's, because she has the upper hand on him.  This specimen, even with a little lightness in the strike in the center, is probably the second finest known.  It weighs 4.43g, was struck in Constantinople and the die axis is 180 degrees.