Nero Denarius

[savitale]

Life has gotten in the way of my Roman Emperor collection for quite a while. But I did get this coin and after seeing it in hand I just had to share. It has the most beautiful, lustrous surfaces with iridescent toning. Of all the "common" Roman Emperors, I committed to stretch a bit for Nero because he is probably the most well-known. If you wanted to capture a non-collector's interest and could only show them one coin, it would probably be Nero. So here it is, with the description from NAC:

 

NAC Auction 138, May 18-19, 2023

Nero augustus, 54 – 68. Denarius circa 64-65, AR 3.51 g. NERO CAESAR – AVGVSTVS Laureate head r. Rev. IVPPITER – CVSTOS Jupiter seated l., holding thunderbolt and sceptre. C 119. BMC 74. RIC 53. CBN 220. A bold portrait of excellent style and a superb old cabinet tone. A minor area of weakness on reverse, otherwise virtually as struck and almost Fdc.

 

 

[CPK]

Wow, that is certainly one of the finest coins of Nero I've ever seen! Congratulations!

[Roman Collector]

What a gorgeous example!! Here's mine, but with the obverse 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.

 

[ominus1]

...Beautiful!...i have one but its been passed around more than your jewel...:)

[Kali]

That is one choice example, congrats.

 

Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)AR Tetradrachm
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
O: NEPΩNOΣ KAICAPOΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, Laureate bust right, wearing aegis.
R: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, with wings spread; palm frond to left, H/IP (dates) to right.
Dated year 110 of the Caesarian era; RY 8 (AD 61/62).
27mm
13.4g
RPC I 4182; McAlee 258; Prieur 82.

[ambr0zie]

Mine is a few light years away in terms of conservation, but I still consider it one of the best acquisitions of 2022. 

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 July 4, 2023 by ambr0zie

[Qcumbor]

Wow !

Just Wow !

Q

[AETHER]

Nero had some great coins, congrats in this beauty.

[Kaleun96]

14 hours ago, savitale said:

Life has gotten in the way of my Roman Emperor collection for quite a while. But I did get this coin and after seeing it in hand I just had to share. It has the most beautiful, lustrous surfaces with iridescent toning. Of all the "common" Roman Emperors, I committed to stretch a bit for Nero because he is probably the most well-known. If you wanted to capture a non-collector's interest and could only show them one coin, it would probably be Nero. So here it is, with the description from NAC:

 

NAC Auction 138, May 18-19, 2023

Nero augustus, 54 – 68. Denarius circa 64-65, AR 3.51 g. NERO CAESAR – AVGVSTVS Laureate head r. Rev. IVPPITER – CVSTOS Jupiter seated l., holding thunderbolt and sceptre. C 119. BMC 74. RIC 53. CBN 220. A bold portrait of excellent style and a superb old cabinet tone. A minor area of weakness on reverse, otherwise virtually as struck and almost Fdc.

 

 

Love the Jupiter reverse, great style and well executed drapery.

[LONGINUS]

That’s a breathtaking denarius @savitale !

I agree with what you said about Nero being well known among non-collectors. Many folks who have no interest in history have an image in their heads of who he was. 

 

Here’s my latest (2022) Nero denarius.

 

A Roman Emperor has to be very popular to co-star with Yosemite Sam.

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by LONGINUS

[John Conduitt]

This survey in Leeds found 25% of people couldn't name any Roman emperors, and 50% named Julius Caesar, who doesn't count. Nero was by far the most common correct answer, but was named by less than a third of the people that named Caesar. Caligula, Augustus and Claudius were next but with less than half the total of Nero. Constantine came behind Hercules, a mythical being. Almost all their knowledge came from TV. Presumably, if prompted, many would've remembered more names, but it's still illuminating.

So if you show your Roman coin collection to someone who doesn't collect coins, chances are they won't know what you're talking about. No wonder they're not interested.

Edited June 16, 2023 by John Conduitt

[Prieure de Sion]

2 hours ago, LONGINUS said:

I agree with what you said about Nero being well known among non-collectors. Many folks who have no interest in history have an image in their heads of who he was. 

Most people I know - know of four Roman personalities. Caesar and Brutus ... and when it comes to Roman emperors - Nero and Commodus. But the emperors only because of Quo Vadis and Gladiator, both films are very popular.

Emperors like Augustus, Tiberius, the Flavians, Marcus Aurelius or even Constantine the Great - are mostly only known to people who paid attention in history at school. But not the general public.

[Octavius]

 I'm speechless! When you return to collecting you surely return in a big way!