Three Ugly Ones from Nero - Not Worth It At Any Price? (Or, How Low Can I Go?)

My collecting "goals" are nonexistent, for the most part. I just look for things I want and can afford on eBay. Of course I'd like a bunch of bronzes from Nero, but I am not able to pay what they go for. Which is fine, I am not complaining. But in the past week, I landed three from Nero, and I thought I'd toss 'em out here.

Warning, they are not pretty. But they were affordable: all three came to $18.86. There was a recent post on how bad a coin can look and a collector still wanting it. All three of these rather illustrate this - I wanted a Nero, and can't pay for a nice one. But these three were just attractive enough, and certainly cheap enough to make my ugly-cost threshold. Others would not want these at any price.

• The Apollo Cithraoedus as was difficult to attribute - there are a lot of variations, even with the bust left. As usual with my uglies, the part of the legend I need to fully attribute has been obliterated by time. By counting spaces, guessing, etc. I came up with RIC 385 (GERMANICV obverse). I could be wrong. Harshly cleaned, possibly a BD recovery piece. It came with two rather nice little bronzes from Valens, which made the purchase decision easy. I really enjoyed researching this one, and the mention of this type in Suetonius was a real bonus.

• The Antioch SC has a pretty crude bust, and a bit of the legend blobbed over by patina (?) but I like the purple-green color to it, though it makes it hard to see. It is probably nicest of the lot. The bust is very crude - could this be some sort of imitation? I am not very familiar with Roman Provincials.

• The last one, with a ram and crescent moon and star, doesn't have Nero on it, and may in fact be from the end of the reign of Claudius. It is, so I discovered, one of the "Star of Bethlehem" coins - there have been other posts about this. For what it's worth, I really doubt the Roman authorities, even in the East, were "commemorating" Christ's birth on coins. But it is an interesting theory. This one has been harshly cleaned. This was also a lot buy, with a Licinius that I posted a couple of days ago on an old thread. To my surprise, I like the Licinius better, despite the Star of Bethlehem aspects of this one.

Any ugly (or otherwise) Nero's out there? Further debates on the merits or pitfalls of ugly vs. affordable are welcome too - I really like hearing "collector's opinions" on these situations.





Nero Æ As
(62-68 A.D.)
Lugdunum Mint
NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG [GERMA]NICV, bare head left; small globe at point of neck / PONTIF MAX [T]R PO[T IMP
PP] S C , Nero as Apollo Citharoedus advancing right. RIC 385 (?) (GERMANICV)
(10.74 grams / 28 mm)

Nero Æ 25
(c. 54-68 A.D.)
Roman Prov. - Syria: Antioch in Seleukis and Pieria
IM NER CLAV CAESAR, laureate head right, lituus before / large SC, dot above, all within wreath of eight laurel leaves.
RPC II, 4307; BMC 177.
(7.94 grams / 25 mm)

Autonomous under Nero Æ 17
Year 105 (56-57 A.D.)
Roman Prov. - Syria: Antioch, Quadratus as Governor
[ANTIOXEΩN] veiled, turreted, draped bust of city goddess right / EΠI KOYAΔPATOY, Ram running right, looking back,
crescent & * above, ETEP below RPC 4290; SNG Cop. 101
(4.52 grams / 17 mm)

 

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Nice coins. I am of the opinion that ugly coins need love too I think they probably have more interesting stories to tell.

 

This is one from a dealer who had it misidentified as Nero (it's Domitian). I sent him an e-mail about it being misattributed and he replied thanking me for the info, asking if I wanted it for $12. I took him up on the deal.



Domitian as Caesar, AD 69-81.
Roman provincial Æ semis; 6.93 g, 21.1 mm, 1 h.
Syria, Seleukis and Pieria, Antiochia ad Orontem, AD 69-81.
Obv: DOMITIA-NVS CAESAR, laureate head left.
Rev: SC within laurel wreath.
Refs: SGI 872; BMC 20. 181, 251; Cohen 746; RPC II 2017; McAlee 403b.

 

Pretty good coins. At least you know that they were well-loved by the populace!!!

 

@Marsyas Mike
Nice Neros I would gladly have them in my collection

 

I really like that Apollo Citharoedus as! Most of the legends are still there, the portrait is unmistakable and the reverse devices clear and well-defined. I've been looking for one of these for the longest time and am quite jealous!

It has been challenging for me to find that one Nero to end all Neros for my collection. As it is, I bought one in my first ever purchase of ancients, this Antioch provincial.


But, what I really wanted was an Imperial issue, and I next landed this Temple of Janus as with an obverse that only a father could love .


I found this next one, a small AE of Ascalon in an uncleaned lot. I wasn't the one who made a mess of the obverse, I swear!


Then, I wanted one in silver, and chose this one with a rather nice handsome portrait. I still kind of like it inspite of the wear and scratches.


Of course, one can't not also have an example with a grossly corpulent portrait too...


Currently, I think my best Nero is this As that actually came to me in a large group lot.


And after all that, I think I'm still looking for that one perfect Nero...

 

Good buy Mike. Here's my Nero, part of a lot I bought.

 

Very nice.. I am yet to own a Nero. I have been on the lookout for awhile but lots of competition. Hard to find one at a reasonable price.

 

My one and only Nero cost more than your trio at $19

 

Thank you all for sharing all these fantastic Nero's in your collections - and thank you for your support of my bottom-feeding collection.

I should mention that in none of the three auctions noted above did the word "Nero" appear in the auction title or description. If they were described as Nero, I doubt I would've snagged them.

This "unknown" factor in eBay auctions is a source of a lot of fun for me - but as others have mentioned elsewhere on Coin Talk, it takes a lot of time, and a lot of wading through thousands of overpriced "buy it nows" and outright fakes to find a bargain.

 

I think you are correct. Nero is a very popular figure to collect. His coins often go for very strong prices. I have several coins of Nero. Here is one of my favourites.



Nero. A.D. 61. AR denarius
(18.40 mm, 3.37 g, 7 h).
Lugdunum (Lyon) mint.
Obv: NERO CAESAR AVG IMP, bare head right
Rev: PONTIF MAX TR P VIII COS IIII P P, EX S C across field, Roma standing right, holding and inscribing shield supported on knee, foot on helmet; dagger and bow at feet to right.
RIC 34 (R3); RSC 231. aVF, toned. Rare. From the D. Thomas Collection;
Ex Hohn Leipziger Munzhandlung. Auction 85 June 2-4 2016 Lot 1382
Ex: Agora Auctons sale 68 Lot 195 August 15 2017.

 

Randy grade coins

 

..there are no "ugly" coins..just some weathered more than others.....Nero's are some of my favorite coins. i esp. like that Antioch of yours.

 

I have some "less than perfect" examples:

 

I think we all have some so-called ugly coins in our collections and I think we all started out buying very worn or problem coins. Nothing wrong with that, I'd never put someone down for what they collect. I have several myself!

However I think we all grow in our collecting. It usually takes a long time to come to the realization that if I don't buy 10 or 20 really rough coins I can buy one or two really nice coins. So rather than get 10 coins over several months at $10 each I can get a really nice coin for $100. I know, I know it takes discipline to do this but I think the end result is a better collection.

Got this one cheap but I eventually sold it because it was ugly.


NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P
laureate head left, globe at point of bust

S C across field, triumphal arch, hung with wreath across front, surmounted by statue of the emperor in a quadriga preceeded by Pax, holding caduceus and cornucopiae, and Victory, holding wreath and palm; two nude figures standing on either side of attic ornamented with Victories; helmeted statue of Mars in side niche of arch; pedestals decorated with friezes of battle scenes.

Rome 64 AD

23.28g

RIC I 143; WCN 126; BMCRE 183; BN 303; Cohen 308

Ex-Londinium

Damnatio Memoriae? 2 Chisel marks on reverse have damaged the portrait on the obverse.

 

Jay GT4 makes some great points and I know he is correct... but I am not there yet.. sometimes you just want to join the club!!

My new $18 Nero starter pack:

 

18?..i thought it went for a little more, but i like and bid on that one also.. it's a error coin too! nice pick up Clavdivs..congrats....CG always has good coins..

 

I double checked and you are correct.. $23.. it was $18 until the very end....

 

Here's my Nero, it cost me about $26 US

 

Agreed.

@Marsyas Mike, even though your coins are "aesthetically challenged" they still are IDable, thus worthy of collecting.
I have bought, and resold ugly coins in the past, and as stated by Jay, then started to think I wanted less coins but of better preservation and style

Here are the Nero's that I currently have in my trays



Nero, Denarius Rome mint, AD 64/65
NERO CAESAR, laureate head of Nero right
AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS, Nero standing facing, holding branch and victory on globe
3,32 gr
Ref : RCV #1941, Cohen #45, RIC # 47
The following comment, from NFA, auction XX catalog, # 118 :
Nero's coinage reform of A.D. 64 saw a reduction in the weight standard of both the aureus and denarius denominations. A whole new range of reverse types was introduced with an unmistakably imperial flavor, in marked contrast to the senatorial types of the pre-reform coinage. This coin depicts a standing figure of the emperor, wearing the radiate crown of the sun god Sol, holding a branch of peace and a small figure of Victory. An allusion to the settlement of the Parthian question, following Corbulo's successes in Armenia in A.D. 63, seems unmistakable. It is tempting to identify this reverse type with the statue of the sun god, with the facial features of the emperor, erected by Nero in front of his Domus Aurea (Golden House), which was one of the principal features of the reconstruction following the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64. The Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum) was later erected on the site of the Domus Aurea's ornamental lake, and received its popular name from its close proximity to Nero's statue



Nero, Dupondius - Rome mint AD 65
NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER PM TR P IMP PP, Radiate head of Nero right
ROMA in ex, SC in field, Roma seated left holding wreath and parazonium, , right foot on a helmet
13.06 gr
Ref : RCV #1966, Cohen #280



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, Emmett # 129


Q