After 15 years of daydreaming about it, I am now a member of the Aureus Club. Post your aurei, if you have them. If you don’t, there’s no shame- it’s not an easy club to join! I never thought I’d be able to. Those membership dues are pretty steep.
My rationale here: I have wanted one ever since I began collecting Roman coins 15 years ago. (I’ve collected coins in general for 46 years, so I came to ancients fairly late in the game.) Though not a cheap coin, it was within my (new, expanded) budget. Though well worn, it has solid strike and surface ratings. It has no problem notations like “graffiti” or “ex-jewelry”, etc. Nero’s name is fully on the flan. Nero is one of the more colorful and interesting emperors, though he is one of the most common faces seen on “affordable” aurei. I wanted my one-and-only aureus to be from one of the Twelve Caesars.
You checked all of the boxes and it will always hold its value. Desirable and spectacular. Well done! Someday.......
At 7+ grams of gold, that is a hunk of gold. Nero is a well known figure from ancient times. Congratulations!!
Back around 1998, I had the opportunity to buy a Nero aureus for $900, and didn’t. (I hadn’t taken the plunge into ancients yet.). Those days of three-figure pricetags are long gone.
No. Mine is a slabbed collection. If I only collected ancients exclusively, I might have gone the cabinet or trays route, but since the rest of my collection is in slabs, so go the ancients as well.
Good question. I dunno… but a lot. Was this like a $100 bill is today? More? Dunno. I’m curious on that score as well. Here is what our own @dougsmit had to say on the matter. Summary? “It’s complicated”.
Congrats Rob... goals in life that we have managed to accomplish are the miles stones not only enjoyed by us, but shared with others to reach for the stars. True we dont always reach each one set,but its so important to have something to work towards in life. But..equally important to share with others not to brag, but to teach that one can reach a set goal. I know that your very highly respected here on CT as well thoughout the hobby...you are a leader more ways than one! That role is so important to the hobby we all love...as this world changes and actual cash or money goes in a new direction...its people like you that sparks the flame to show YN's and newbies to our hobby that even in a changjng world...one can still fill a dream,as well build a collection anyone would be proud of...WTG Rob....