Last week I went looking for an Augustus provincial to add to my collection and I encountered this fine Nero. I admired it briefly online and then continued my search for "Augie". Nothing really jumped out at me so I returned for a second look at Nero. I decided I had to have a decent Nero. I have a cartoonish provincial Nero which does not do the man justice. Anyway, I went ahead and clicked the pay button. My Nero denarius arrived today along with an outstanding Vespasian denarius which I will post later.
A handsome example and better reverse type. I own many Neros, all Tets. Here is the favorite. Nero (54 - 68 A.D.) Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch AR Tetradrachm O: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GER, laureate head of Nero right; star behind. R: [DIVOS] CLAVD AVG GERMANIC PATER AVG, laureate head of Claudius right. Syrian Mint - 63-68 AD 14.11g 26mm Prieur 48; RPC I 4123; BMC 172; Sydenham 65 (Caesarea); RSC 2; McAlee 270.
Very nice @Deacon Ray I love that reverse type. I have had one on my list for a while, but there is much competition for them when they show up. As to looking for an Augustus and finding a Nero, sometimes you have to take what the market gives. Here are my Neros.
I always love it when I go to a coin show and come home with something I did not previously know I wanted or even something I did not know existed. Saturday, I was going trough a box of 2nd century bronzes and saw what my first glance identified as a lousy grade Trajan column as. Looking closer I discovered I did not know every way you can stack a club and lion skin. When I got home, I discovered it is a common enough type but I am not a Trajan scholar or close to it so there was plenty of room to learn something. The market gave:
For this Nero billon tetradrachm minted in Alexandria, regnal year 13, 66 - 67 AD, some references describe the reverse as head of Divus Augustus, others as head of Tiberius. 22 x 25 mm, 12.19 g; Ref.: RPC I 5294; BMC 112; Curtis 65 Obverse: NEPΩ KΛAY KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP A(Y) Radiate head of Nero to left, wearing aegis Regnal year LIΓ (= year 13 corresponding to 66/67 AD) to left Reverse: ΘEOΣ ΣEBAΣTOΣ Radiate head to right The picture below is not mine, it is from the web; haven't been able to take a good picture. Question, is it Tiberius or Augustus???
BEAUTIFUL portrait and very cool reverse! It says empress... but that looks more to me like the poor red headed castrato that Nero took with him everywhere as he thought the boy looked like the even more poor Poppaea Sabina whom he'd kicked to death while pregnant. Talk about a ruler, kick your preggers wifers to death and then pick out a youth to mutilate and pretend he is she. And then for the grand finale... kill your mom. That or the propagandists were particularly hard on the young man (though I did leave out the whole fiddling whilst Rome burns thing as it very well may have been the Christians). Anywho (he said awkwardly. Realizing he may have slightly defemated one of the good ones. Remember, the 1st 4 years of Nero's reign he was one of the very best of em), Here's what I have: Nero AR Denarius, Salus reverse Nero (54-68). AR Denarius (16-18 mm, 3.00 g), Rome, c. AD 65-66. Obv. NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, Laureate head right.Rev. Salus seated left on throne, holding patera; SALVS in exergue. RIC I 60. Old collection toning NERO 54-68 CE. AE Dupondius of Lugdunum, 66. Laureate head / Securitas seated with sceptre. RIC.445
Hey @Deacon Ray , that one nice Nero...Augustus and just wait for a bit. I don't remember what I was looking for when I got this coin, but I immediately grabbed this one instead! Egypt. Alexandria. Nero. 54-68 AD. Billon Tetradrachm Dated year 10 (63/4 AD). Obv.: radiate head right. Rev.: draped bust of Serapis right, wearing calathus; LI in lower right field. Milne 222, 25 mm, 13.4g
"Finding Nero" has a catchy sound to it. I realize that it sounds like the Disney film about the cute fish Anyway, I wanted to congratulate you, Mr. @Orfew , on your beautiful collection of Nero denarii.
Nice coin Deacon Ray. I'm in the process of looking for a Nero denarius to add to my collection. I just got this coin which at first glance looks like a common Temple of Janus As. But on further inspection, the reverse is a scarce type with the SC in the exergue.