Nero Tetradrachm

Alright, first thing is first. This baby was slabbed. I thought long and hard about cracking it open. And then when it finally arrived, I had to crack it out and am I gald I did. You couldnt tell how thick or heavy it was in the slab, but in hand it is kind of a monster. I bought this coin because the portrait doesnt show Nero quite so fat and squished on the coin like on the denarii. And I really like that eagle on the reverse.





NERO
AR Tetradrachm, Anitoch
62-63 AD
NEΡΩN KAISAR SEBASTOS, laureate head right, with aegis
ETOUS AIR X Q, eagle standing facing on thunderbolt, head right, palm branch and dot in fields.
Antioch RPC 4185
14.6 g, 23x25mm

Post your Nero coins I guess!

Edit* I screwed this up! The reverse actually reads AIP.Q with ETOYS below eagle and thunderbolt. Not what I have above for the reverse

 

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Good lord that looks like a beast.

Nice portrait and eagle both.

Also, why the crackout? I don't buy stabbed for cost reasons so I don't really have an opinion yet on what I would do with one.

 

Well this one was on an ebay auction. I put it on my watch list with 3 days left and no bids. I like to wait until a few seconds before it ends before i bid, and sure enough someone bid on it the morning it ended. I sniped it for what I think was a good price plus I had a $15 off coupon.

Two reasons for the crackout: One, seems like all the ancient guys are doing it lol. And two, I hate mustard yellow lables.

 

Those are both excellent reasons for me too lol.

Great win.

 

Nice! I have a couple of Nero tets from Alexandria:


Nero and Poppaea



Nero and Claudia Octavia

 

Another nice one!

 

Evan => congrats on the sweet new OP-addition ... oh, and I agree that it looks far happier outside of that mustard-coloured container!

 

That's the kind of chunk you have to feel in your hand : plastic always lowers the feeling and sensations you can have

Great acquisition !

My Nero from Alexandria :


Nero and Agrippina, tetradrachm Alexandria mint, AD 56-57
NEP KLAY KAIS SEB GEP AYTO, Laureate of Nero right
AGPITTTTINA SEBAETH, bust of Agrippina junior right LG in right field
12.5 gr
Ref : RCV # 1989



Nero and Poppaea, tetradrachm Alexandria mint, AD 63-64
NERO KLAY KAIS SEB TEP AY, radiate head of Nero right
TTOTTTTAIA SEBASTH, draped bust of Poppaea right, LI in right field
12.3 gr
Ref : RCV # 2002 v, Emmet # 129

Q

 

Exactly right. It's amazing to hold In hand. The history is just incredible.

 

And one again I own a fake of a similar example. Too bad for me. Yours is a lovely coin, especially outside that plastic tomb,

 

Terrific Posts everyone....I LOVE Tets too!!----- Big, heavy and just super cool!!!

This is one of my few remaining 'originals', that I purchased decades ago ...and I still only have this practice photo on file:

 

It's always good to see a coin freed from its plastic prison! Congrats on the nice tet.

 

Hate slabs & nice coin.


Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)
AR Tetradrachm
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
O: NEPΩNOΣ KAICAPOΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, Laureate bust right, wearing aegis.
R: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, with wings spread; palm frond to left, H/IP (dates) to right.
Dated year 110 of the Caesarian era; RY 8 (AD 61/62).
27mm
13.4g
RPC I 4182; McAlee 258; Prieur 82.

 

Here it comes lol

 

To be fair to the celators, all evidence points towards Nero being pretty fat in squished in real life. Which gives me hope about my own fat-and-squishedness.

 

I like these double dated Neros. In case some reading this thread missed that, ETOYS means 'year' and AIP is the Greek numeral for 111 so the coin is dated in year 111 of the Caesarean era. The theta is Greek for 9 indicating year 9 of Nero's reign. Bing's coin adds one to both numbers BIP=112 and I=10.

Mine below is older with theta rho (109) Caesarean and Z (7) Nero regnal but omitted the word for year. Since mat posted a 110/8 we have a string going here from 7 to 10. I'd have to research what exists. Also the common denarii we see are from the later period when Nero was fatter. His early denarii had better silver and were melted down more when the debasement began so we are left with more fat faced portraits from Rome. I believe most of you wold agree that each of our 7-10 series shows a reasonable decline from not bad looking to not so hot.

 

-Here is myNERO AR Tetradrachm of Antioch, looks a bit older than yours: ETOYS B I P,Year9 (63/64 AD)

 

Most ancient collectors like to handle their coins, simple as that. As a collector I always crack them out before putting them with other coins. As a dealer if I get one slabbed I pass it on inside its plastic tomb and let the buyer decide. But slab do not add to the value of the coin itself, at least with ancient dealers. US dealers, well, they will usually charge a big premium.

 

Well, I kind of figured something along those lines, Ken. I don't care for slabs myself in that a) I will not pay a premium for a coin in a slab and b) I also would prefer to handle my ancients skin on skin.

Also, it is hard to sort through a junk box filled with slabs because not that many fit in a cigar box.

 

Again we are reminded that there are worse fates than slabbing for our coins.