Following the Carnuntum conference in 308 that confirmed the authority of Galerius as senior augustus, he began striking coins to honor his wife as augusta. It was common for Roman emperors to strike coins in honor of their wives (to honor traditional Roman ideal on family values and virtue), but for some reason this tradition did not take hold under the Tetrarchy. Galerius didn't strike these coins until after he had been in power for 15 years and Diocletian had abdicated. (Constantine did strike an extensive series in honor of his female relatives after he became sole emperor.)

Galeria was the daughter of Diocletian and Prisca, and was married to Galerius when he was appointed caesar by Diocletian. (This was mirrored by Constantius' simultaneous forced marriage to Maximianus' daughter, Theodora.) After Galerius died, Valeria fled to the court of Maximinus II for protection, even though Galerius had charged Licinius with her protection and Diocletian was still alive.

This proved to be a poor decision when Maximinus proposed marriage to her, a proposal that she declined. Maximinus responded by banishing her and her mother to Syria and confiscating their estates. They escaped as Maximinus was being defeated by Licinius, but Licinius had them arrested and executed.

These coins were only struck in the eastern mints, controlled by Galerius and his allies. The mints controlled by Constantine and Maxentius did not strike any coins for Galeria Valeria. All the coins are the same basic design, featuring Venus, a traditional motif for Roman empresses.