This denarius is a new acquisition. It reads COS II, making it among the first coins issued by Nerva, in AD 96, shortly after the death of Domitian on 18 September. Coins issued later that year bear the titles COS II and DES III, and on 1 January, AD 97, begin the COS III issues. Nerva, AD 96-98. Roman AR denarius, 3.18 g, 17.5 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 96, shortly after 18 September. Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II P P, laureate head, right. Rev: FORTVNA AVGVST, Fortuna, draped, standing left, holding rudder in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 4; BMCRE 10-11; RSC/Cohen 59; RCV --; CBN --. Other denarii of this issue include the reverse types of: AEQVITAS AVGVST, CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM with clasped hands (types with and without a legionary eagle and prow), FORTVNA AVGVST with Fortuna seated, FORTVNA P R, IVSTITIA AVGVST, LIBERTAS PVBLICA, and SALVS PVBLICA. Let's see your first year issues of any ruler! Or your favorite Nerva coins, or whatever you feel is relevant!
Nerva. 96-98 AD. AR Denarius (18mm; 3.11 gm; 6h). Rome mint. Struck 96 AD. Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II P P, laureate head right. Rev:CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM, clasped hands before aquila set on prow. RIC II 3; RSC 25; BMCRE 8
I have not owned many coins of Nerva. I bought this one because I like the style of the portrait. I have several year 1 coins from a few emperors but have chosen this Probus coin to illustrate here. The initial issue for Probus from Lugdunum re-used the reverse types from the last issue of Tacitus at the mint. This coin also has one of the scarcer spelling errors from this mint, missing the V from AVR. Probus Antoninianus Obv:– IMP C M AR(sic) PROBVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– TEMPORVM FELICITAS, Felicitas standing right, holding caduceus and cornucopiae Minted in Lugdunum (I) Emission 1, Officina 1. Early A.D. 277 Reference(s) – Cohen 729, Bastien 151b (151 has AVR and cites 15 examples). RIC 52 var Bust type F (C). Weight 3.53g. 22.85mm. 0 degrees
I suppose anything issued by one of the short-lived usurpers would count, like this Balbinus sestertius: Balbinus Augustus, A.D. 238 Bronze Sestertius Rome mint, A.D. 238 Obv: IMP CAES D CAEL BALBINVS AVG Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG - Concordia seated, facing left, holding patera and cornucopia. SC in exergue. RIC 22 28mm, 19.8g. According to RIC, this is a first-year issue, but I don't remember what criteria they used to establish this: Valerian I Augustus, A.D. 253-260 Silver Double Denarius Antioch mint, A.D. 253 Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG Rev: PIETAS AVGG - Two emperors, emperor at left sacrificing at altar with patera, emperor at right, sword on belt, holding eagle-tipped scepter RIC 284 24 x 22 mm, 3.5g. Personally, I am partial to first-year issues of the kid emperors, like this Gordian III: Gordian III Caesar, A.D. 238 Augustus, A.D. 238-244 Silver Double Denarius Rome mint, A.D. 238-239 Obv: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG Rev: VICTORIA AVG - Victory, advancing left, holding wreath and palm branch. RIC 5 20x22mm, 4.0g.
Here's a Domitian first year... Domitian. 81-96 AR Denarius (3.17 gm, 18mm). Rome mint. Struck 81 AD. Obv.: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M, laureate head right. Rev.: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P, tripod surmounted by a dolphin right. RICII# 74.
VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: COS ITER TR POT, Pax seated left, holding branch and caduceus Struck at Rome, 69-71 AD 3.31g, 18mm RIC 29; RSC 94h; Sear 2285 TITUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right REVERSE: TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII, quadriga left with corn ears in car Struck at Rome, 79AD 3.2g, 17.5mm RIC 8, RSC 276 NERVA AE Dupondius OBVERSE: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II P P Radiate head right REVERSE: FORTVNA AVGVST S-C, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia Struck at Rome, 96AD 8.8g, 26mm RIC 61
Here is a very early Trajan, and in keeping with the OP, this awful dupondius of Trajan has a Nerva-like nose. With thanks to @Parthicus Maximus @singig @Shea19 and others for background information on why Trajan was so beaky on the early issues of his reign. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/new-trajan-additions.367713/page-2#post-4907118 https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ea...th-a-nerva-like-portrait.343440/#post-7450540 Trajan Æ Dupondius (98-99 A.D.) Rome Mint [IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM P M] radiate head right with Nerva-like features / [TR P COS II P P] S C, Abundantia seated l. on crossed cornucopiae, holding sceptre. RIC 382-387 (legends worn). (12.68 grams / 26 mm) eBay April 2021 Lot @ $1.24 Notes: "I think there is another reason for the Nerva-like portraits. Trajan was named Caesar in 97 but was not in Rome at the time (He was in Germania). So there was no possibility to make a bust of the new Caesar. When Nerva died at the end of January 98, there was no official bust of Trajan. The Mint of Rome, however, immediately started minting new coins. But they had no example bust..." Coin Talk Parthicus Maximus June 2019
