Nero -- the IVPPITER CVSTOS denarii

[Roman Collector]

This one is a new acquisition. I like its John Belushi-esque portrait!



IVPPITER CVSTOS means "Jupiter the Guardian," to whom Nero gave credit for protecting him from the conspiracy of Piso. It's one of Nero's most common reverse types, to be sure, but there are some varieties of interest. This reverse type is paired with three different obverse inscriptions, each minted during a different year. The earliest (64-65 CE) bear the obverse legend NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS (RIC 53). The next issued (66-67 CE) bear the obverse legend IMP NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS (RIC 64). The last issued (67-68 CE) bear the legend IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P P (RIC 69).

Mine bears the intermediate legend of 66-67 CE.

Nero, 54-68 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.17 g, 18.1 mm 5 h.
Rome, 66-67 CE.
Obv: IMP NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, head of Nero, bearded and laureate, right.
Rev: IVPPITER CVSTOS, Jupiter, bare to waist, seated left on throne, holding thunderbolt in right hand and long scepter in left hand.
Refs: RIC 64; BMCRE p. 210 n.; Cohen/RSC 121; RCV --; Giard BNC II, 233-35.

Do you have any Nero denarii? Other denominations? Let's see your Nero coins!!

Edited May 23, 2023 by Roman Collector
Update the dimensions of the coin

[CPK]

Nice! Worn, but with a great portrait and other details.

I wish I had a Nero denarius. Still, I'm happy to have this sestertius, which is my only coin of Nero:

[David Atherton]

I don't have a Nero ... but I can offer a similar reverse!

 

Domitian
Æ Sestertius, 25.01g
Rome mint, 86 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., with aegis
Rev: IOVI VICTORI; S C in exergue; Jupiter std. l., with Victory and sceptre
RIC 465 (C2). BMC 373. BNC 396.
Acquired from CGB.fr, June 2021.

[DonnaML]

Congratulations, @Roman Collector. I like your example. Definitely Belushi-esque!

The two Nero denarii I have, both in rather poor condition, are the only two types that it's easy to find without paying an exorbitant price, namely IVPPITER CVSTOS and SALVS:

This one is sort of Belushi-esque itself:

I don't think it's possible to be sure whether the obverse legend on my IVPPITER CVSTOS says NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS (which is how the dealer described it) or IMP NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS: judging from your specimen, the IMP would be under the bust if it's there, and that area is off the flan. 

The two other Nero Imperials I have are both asses (with reverses depicting Victory and the Temple of Janus, respectively), and both are in much better condition than my denarii:

Plus I have some Nero Provincials, including this very youthful portrait on an AR drachm from Seleucis & Pieria:

And several tetradrachms from Roman Alexandria:

Year 11, second wife Poppea Sabina on reverse:

Year 12, bust of Alexandria on reverse:

 

Year 13, Divus Augustus on reverse:

Year 13, Galley with two dolphins underneath on reverse (probably commemorating Nero's visit to Egypt):

Edited May 16, 2023 by DonnaML

[ambr0zie]

Congratulations for a great acquisition, @Roman Collector
The wear pattern is pleasant, the design is fully visible and the centering is correct. 

Other beautiful coins presented also, especially the Alexandria tetradrachms, I like the most the galley and Poppaea (coins on my wish list)

Many collectors want a 12 Caesars denarii collection and Nero is above average when it comes to difficulty. Not unapproachable, but certainly not common and cheap. 

Personally, when I see a coin type too often in auctions, my interest for it decreases. I am not sure if I am correct, but 95% of the Nero denarii I saw in auctions are IVPPITER CVSTOS and SALVS types. So my decision was that if I ever buy a Nero denarius, I want another, rarer type. 

This one was exactly what I had in mind. 

Nero AD 54-68. Rome. Denarius AR. 20 mm, 2,65 g

Struck circa AD 64-65 or 65-66. NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / [AVGVST]VS AVGVSTA, Nero, radiate and togate, standing left, holding patera in right hand and long scepter in right; to right, empress (Poppaea?), veiled and draped, standing left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left. Note – some sources (Sear) indicate that the reverse characters are Augustus and Livia. RIC I 45 and 57; WCN 55; RSC 43; BMCRE 54-5; BN 201.

Edited May 16, 2023 by ambr0zie

[LONGINUS]

Great post, @Roman Collector ! The portly portraits are my favorite.

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by LONGINUS

[ominus1]

...nice coin RC...you can't have too many Neros...i was just watching about his golden house before coming here...:)

[Limes]

That's a strange looking Faustina 😉 Nice catch @Roman Collector, with a good portrait. Below is a denarius of mine, with a portrait that matches yours ('pointy nose portrait'). The portrait on the other denarius shown below is missing the pointy nose. It's from an earlier date, so somewhere between 64 and 66, Nero had his nose done.

 

[akeady]

I've ended up with quite a few Neros.

Tetradrachm of Antioch, Prieur 79:

The aureus equivalent of Ambrozie's denarius above - RIC 44:

Nero as Caesar under Claudius - RIC 77 (Claudius)

Temple of Janus aureus - RIC 50:

Port of Ostia sestertius, though a miserable one - RIC 513:

My favourite Nero - a small module brass as - RIC 220:

Miserable triumphal arch sestertius (why did I buy this?) - RIC 147:

Annona & Ceres sestertius - RIC 391:

A nice little hemidrachm - RIC 617:

Nero & Poppaea Alexandria tet - RPC 5275:

Indian copy aureus - cf. RIC 25, 31, 36, 40:

Aureus equivalent of Donna's RIC 71 above (aureus not in RIC, but elsewhere catalogued):

Similar to Roman Collector's, but worse condition - RIC 64:

Killed two birds with one stone at the time - Nero & Divus Claudius didrachm of Caesarea (Cappadocia) - RIC 613:

Thanks for getting to the end 😄
Aidan.

[Octavius]

 I have a soft spot for Nero coins.

Here is a selection of some of his gold and some varied denarii and bronzes...

[Tejas]

Here is my IVPPITER CVSTOS

 

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Here's a sampling of the photographed coins I have of Nero.

NERO AE dupondius. IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P MAX TR P P P, laureate head left. Reverse - SECVRITAS AVGVSTI, Securitas seated right, altar at feet, SC in exergue. RIC 519, RCV 1968, valued at $960 in EF. 28mm, 13.2g. An attractive green patina

NERO AE orichalcum sestertius. Struck at Lugdunum, 65 AD. NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR IMP P P, laureate head right, globe at point of bust. Reverse - Roma seated left on cuirass & shields, S C at sides, ROMA in exergue. 36mm, 24.4g. Very Fine, very attractive despite a small ancient piercing.
 

NERO (54-68 AD) - AE SESTERTIUS - NICE PORTRAIT - TRIUMPHAL ARCH - RARE 2 - VF/aVF

 

Lugdunum mint. Struck 62-68 AD

 

 

Obverse: NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER (PM TR P IMP) PP - bust left, with globe.

 

Reverse: large SC - view of triumphal arch, surmounted by group of statuary with Nero in facing quadriga between standing figures of Victory and Pax, showing front festooned with wreath and side adorned with bas-relief of Mars standing on pedestal.

Sear-Roman-Coins-I (2000): no 1962 variant

RIC-I “new” (Roman Imperial Coinage) 2.ed C.H.V. Sutherland, 1984: no 433, Rare 2.

RIC-1 “old” (1923) 1.ed Harold Mattingly: no 149

WCN = “The Western Coinages of Nero” David W. Mac Dowall, 1979: no 429

BMC -

Cohen -

33 mm 21,89 gr

 

Ex: John Cummings, Grantham, England, July 1984

Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Nero AD 54-68. Dated RY 9 and year 111 of the Caesarean Era = AD 62/3
Tetradrachm AR

23 mm, 14,42 g

NEPΩN KAIΣAP ΣEBAΣTOY, laureate bust right with aegis around neck / ETOYΣ AIP • Θ, eagle standing right, with spread wings, on thunderbolt; palm branch and pellet in right field.

RPC I 4185.