Some methods are introduced to determine the valences of rare earth iodides. These methods lead to increased understanding of the lower valent rare earth compounds. Magnetic, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, polarography and UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy methods were used to confirm that the rare earth elements in AREI3 and ARE2I5 (RE ≡ Sm, Eu, Yb; A, alkali ion) are divalent.