A new Nero

Quite an artistic portrait on that tetradrachm @Pishpash !
I agree with others on Nero deserving a middle bronze and a denarius and a tetradrachm....at least

Q

 

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A very nice coin. I think you paid a nice price for it too. Congratulations.

 

Real nice! Like the elephant headdress.

 

"with II value mark" ?? How did the ancients put a value on their coins, if it was not stamped on them? Just by weight?

 

The Roman on the street would have known the coin was a dupondius because of the yellow metal and size too small to be a sestertius. In addition to the II, this coin also has a radiate crown which signifies a double denomination but Nero has dupondii with neither. Relatively few coins were marked as to denominations but some were just to make things clear. Why they were never really consistent on the matter is not clear to me.
The dupondius below was yellow orichalcum so clearly a dupondius but formed a green patina making it less clear to modern collectors. The reverse type was not used on larger sestertii or red copper asses so we know what it is even if it is no longer yellow.


The sestertius below is larger so not a dupondius but much larger than an as which would not be as yellow on the exposed parts. Also that reverse was not used on other denominations.


However, the as below is a type used on sestertii as well so the Romans would have seen no yellow and a smaller coin to know.

 

Great upgrade Pish! 2 neat portraits, one coin!

 

Coin arrived today. Deeply toned. 12.66g. Glossy. A little less orange than my photos, no time to play now but if I get chance later I will try to do better.

Sellers photos make it look as though there are sandy deposits. There are none. It is gorgeous in hand.

 

Lovely.

 

Definitely one I'd LOVE to own...and I'm after an Alexandrian type, although a bit worn, with Nero and Poppaea

 

Atta girl, Pish (congrats)

 

This photo makes the coin look much better than the vast majority of these. The billon alloy then in use does not seem to weather well and most lack the attractive, smooth surfaces of yours. Congratulations.

 

Thanks Doug, I desaturated it a little bit and this picture is more like the coin in hand. I would have said that it was silver rather than billon, but I am no expert and am going with the seller's advice.