Priscus Attalus was a Roman Emperor who had a short rule during the late 4th century BC. He was appointed purely as a puppet emperor by the Visigoth king Alaric I during the siege of Rome. While Attalus was legitimately a Roman senator, his rule was influenced and used for political purposes by the Visigoths. This all happened as the former western Roman Empire was in rapid decline. Alaric was attempting to influence the Goths future in Rome as a way of installing Attalus to the throne. Unfortunately Attalus maintained only a short rule due to his own inclination of negotiating with the burgeoning Eastern Roman Empire without the consent of his Visigothic superiors. He was quickly deposed and while he was not murdered as was typical of many Roman rulers of the time, he also quietly disappeared from the historical record.

Coins of Attalus are very seldom seen and when they are found, it is typical to see them in bronze. This coin thus is a rarity and seldom found available in the market.