Show me your Nero!

[Coinmaster]

I just bought this coin for I think a too low price (40,- euro). But I wanted a Nero for some time. It seems these coins are quite expensive - even for very worn ones. I checked if the coin is possibly a fake one via this site, but couldn't find a match. So perhaps it is a genuine one? A gamble, I know, but I'm just too curious. What do you think? And please share your Nero below, thanks!

PS: The coin is this type: https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).ner.69.

[Al Kowsky]

29 minutes ago, Coinmaster said:

I just bought this coin for I think a too low price (40,- euro). But I wanted a Nero for some time. It seems these coins are quite expensive - even for very worn ones. I checked if the coin is possibly a fake one via this site, but couldn't find a match. So perhaps it is a genuine one? A gamble, I know, but I'm just too curious. What do you think? And please share your Nero below, thanks!

PS: The coin is this type: https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).ner.69.

We all have different criteria for buying coins, that said, I wouldn't have bought the coin for $40. Instead, paying 5 times that amount for a better looking specimen would have been a better buy 😉.

[Kali]

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.

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.

 

Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)

Billon Tetradrachm
EGYPT, Alexandria
O: NERW KLAY KAIS SEB GER, radiate head right, aegis on chest.
R: AYTO-KRA, draped bust of Alexandria right, wearing elephant skin headdress; date LIB to right.
Alexandria, Egypt. Dated Year 12 (65 - 66 A.D.)
12g
25mm
RPC 5289; Milne 238; Dattari 204; Geissen 172; Sear 2004.

 

[Salomons Cat]

I think that it was a good buy 🙂
A Nero for 40$ were you can still see a lot of details... that's not bad! You wouldn't have any problems to sell it for the same price.
On Vcoins even for 200$ you probably wouldn't get a much better coin, I think. 

Here's mine:

Nero. AD 54-68. AR Denarius (19mm, 2.92 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64-65. Laureate head right / Jupiter seated left on throne, holding thunderbolt and scepter. RIC I 53; RSC 119. Ex CNG auction 535.
 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Salomons Cat

[CPK]

$40 for a Nero denarius?? If it's genuine that's a steal!

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Yeah, one wouldn't find that price (not sure what the exact dollar price is - I'm guessing 45-47) even during the 1990's.  Perhaps it's crystallized? It's has that kind of bumpy, crystallized look.

[Coinmaster]

9 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

Yeah, one wouldn't find that price (not sure what the exact dollar price is - I'm guessing 45-47) even during the 1990's.  Perhaps it's crystallized? It's has that kind of bumpy, crystallized look.

I don't know, I receive the coin next week and will take a better look. Thx!

[Coinmaster]

42 minutes ago, Salomons Cat said:

On Vcoins even for 200$ you probably wouldn't get a much better coin, I think. 

Indeed, see for example: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/london_ancient_coins/89/product/nero_5468_ar_denarius__rome__r_salus/1638424/Default.aspx.

I like your coin! I could afford it (I guess somewhere between 1.000,- and 2.500,-) , but my wife wouldn't be too happy about it. I guess I'm not alone in this.. 😉 

[Salomons Cat]

12 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

Perhaps it's crystallized? It's has that kind of bumpy, crystallized look.

Embrittlement is one of my big fears... 😶

But to me it looks rather like a rough surface, not like this typical (very symmetrical) crystallized pattern.
My Nero also has a rough surface and a flan flaw, but I don't think that it is crystallization. And I don't even notice this when I hold it in hand.

[Salomons Cat]

9 minutes ago, Coinmaster said:

I like your coin! I could afford it (I guess somewhere between 1.000,- and 2.500,-) , but my wife wouldn't be too happy about it. I guess I'm not alone in this.. 😉 

Thank you! 😊 The hammer price was 700$. I also think that I was quite lucky there. And to me, the coin looks nicer in hand than on the photo 😊
I'm actually completely satisfied with this coin... 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

But whatever the problems, if that's a genuine article $40-something is a bargain.  Especially so since it's so identifiable.

[LONGINUS]

Interesting coin and post, @Coinmaster !

 

I’m always on the lookout for Nero coins — I’ll likely be purchasing more of them in the coming months.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by LONGINUS

[Coinmaster]

26 minutes ago, LONGINUS said:

I’ll likely be purchasing more of them in the coming months.

Thx, watch out for the fake ones and happy hunting!!

[Edessa]

Nero. As Caesar, AD 50-54. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.39g, 10h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck under Claudius. Obv: [NERONI CLAVDIO] DRVSO GERM COS DESIGN; Bareheaded and draped bust right. Rev: EQVESTER / OR-DO / PRINCIPI / IVVENT; Legend in four lines on shield, behind which stands a spear. Ref: RIC I 79 (Claudius); Lyon 88; RSC 97. Same dies as CNG e232 (28 Apr 2010), Lot 190.

[ewomack]

My only Nero - a Hemidrachm from Cappadocia - some have said that the portrait more resembles Claudius, so it may have been a transitional coin.


Nero AR Hemidrachm of Caesaria, Cappadocia. c54-63 AD. NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GERMANI, laureate head right / Victory seated right on globe, writing on shield, SGI 616, RPC 3645. RIC 617. Sydenham 82.

[Julius Germanicus]

No Sestertii yet? So here are mine :-D:

 

 

 

[ambr0zie]

I cannot discuss the authenticity of the denarius  as this is one of my main concerns - my skills are pretty poor when it comes to spot forgeries. I do not see anything that raises any concern - the coin has good centering and the details are pretty much there. Including an excellent portrait. 
The price is extremely low - I fully respect Al Kowsky's opinion, but I think nowadays it is difficult to find a Nero denarius with details for 80 euros and you paid half. Of course, more money bring better quality, but in my opinion you can't get much better in terms of deal. 
I am pretty curious how the coin will be in hand - perhaps you will post your pictures in the topic when it arrives. 

As for Nero imperial coins, I was lucky enough to receive a Nero as in my very first lot of ancient coins I bought. 

26,58 mm, 8,43 g. Nero 54-68 AD. Lugdunum, AD 63-68. Ӕ As.
NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P, bare head right, with globe at point of bust / S-C, Victory flying left, holding shield inscribed S P Q R.
RIC I (second edition) Nero 473

Not a fantastic coin, pretty worn (and overcleaned unfortunately - the green deposits are NOT bronze disease, I think the coin would have been much more appealing with an uniform green patina). But for 3 euros, the price per coin in that lot, I can;t complain too much. 

 

My second Nero coin is also an As, bought from an auction soon after I received the first lot.  I simply liked the portrait. The coin has its flaws but again, quite a good addition. 

27 mm, 8,45g. Nero AD 54-68. Rome. Ӕ As, 62-68
IMP NERO CAESAR AVG GERM, head of Nero, laureate, right / S C, Victory, winged, draped, moving left, holding in both hands shield inscribed

I managed to get a denarius also. I had a personal ambition - I wanted a Nero denarius, but NOT the IVPPITER CVSTOS  or SALVS types. Can't explain why. I see them too often and I wanted a different one. This is the same reason I want an Augustus denarius but NOT the Caius&Lucius types. 
My denarius is far from FDC and the reverse is not something to write home about, but I find the coin excellent. 

Nero AD 54-68. Rome. AR Denarius. 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.

[Jims,Coins]

Silver Coin (AR Denarius) minted at Rome during the reign of NERO between 65 - 66 A.D. Obv. NERO.CAESAR.AVGVSTVS. laurel. hd. r. Rev. SALVS.: Salus, dr., std. l. on throne, r. holding patera, l. resting at her side. RCS #675. RSCII #314. RICI #60 pg.153. DVM #15 pg.85. (this type refers to the suppression of the Pisonian conspiracy. The would-be assassin, Fl. Scaevinus, took a sacred dagger from the Temple of Salus in Ferentum to kill NERO with. One of Scaevinus freedmen betrayed the plot by carrying that very dagger to NERO as evidence. NERO dedicated the dagger in the Temple of Salus in Rome, inscribing it “to Jupiter the Protector”. Both Salus and Jupiter Custos were heavily promoted on the coinage as guardians of the reign).   

[Limes]

Im definitely not an expert, my track record when it comes to fakes isn't good... But I wouldn't dare say its a fake, or that its genuine. The style of the obverse looks ok, the lettering looks like a match with good examples on ACSEARCH (for what its worth) and the end of the neck isn't that strange elephant like trunk many fakes appear to have. Then again, the last part of the neck seems to be off flan, and I can't quite see what's going on at 6 o clock, above the 'I'. Deliberate filling? Also I don't like the spot above at 11 - 12 o'clock, at the A. Some fakes of this type, show the 'A' running through into the hair. I can't make out of that's the case here too. Be sure to check that out when you have it in hand. Then again, the reverse looks ok; the thunderbolt looks nothing like known fakes, as does the head of jupiter, whereas some fakes appear to have the features of the face 'worn off'. And I think I see some features on your coin. Or is it the surface/bad photo, that makes it appear so?

Also, the surface is strange. See below. Is it a cleaning job that someone was tired of? Or is something put on it, to hide certain features of the surface? Or is it just a case of horn silver, which can be cleaned? 

But perhaps I'm seeing things. Nero denarii from non-reputable dealers freak me out, there are good fakes out there. I was tempted bidding on this one, but skipped it because the style did not convince me, and the seller, although not too bad, sold fakes in the past (to me as well 😞). It goes without saying that I truly hope that the coin turns out to be genuine. [edit] Be sure to check the coin out when it arrives, and try post better photo's 🙂 Again, I hope it's real, and for $ 40 that would be a great buy! 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Limes

[Coinmaster]

30 minutes ago, ambr0zie said:

I am pretty curious how the coin will be in hand - perhaps you will post your pictures in the topic when it arrives. 

Me too! And I will post new photos when the coin has arrived! And wow: 3 euro for a Nero... my coin seems expensive now haha, you win!!

[ominus1]

...seems  legit to me from what i can see....heck ofva deal! 🙂

[Coinmaster]

30 minutes ago, Limes said:

Or is it just a case of horn silver, which can be cleaned? 

Yes, I saw that too. I really hope the coin is just dirty / not cleaned. So indeed it's a bit of a gamble, but for 40,- euro it's worth it. By the way, the seller has a 100% rating and wrote me that the coin 'comes from the stock of my father who was a dealer of collectibles for over 40 years.'  For what it's worth of course.. We'll see!

[ominus1]

2 hours ago, Edessa said:

Nero. As Caesar, AD 50-54. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.39g, 10h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck under Claudius. Obv: [NERONI CLAVDIO] DRVSO GERM COS DESIGN; Bareheaded and draped bust right. Rev: EQVESTER / OR-DO / PRINCIPI / IVVENT; Legend in four lines on shield, behind which stands a spear. Ref: RIC I 79 (Claudius); Lyon 88; RSC 97. Same dies as CNG e232 (28 Apr 2010), Lot 190.

..one doesn't see many of those....very nice! 🙂

[akeady]

I never miss an excuse to trot out this guy - RIC 220, as - I need a new photo' - it's closer in colour to the lower pic:

ATB,
Aidan.

[Qcumbor]

Nero as Caesar

 

 

Nero and Poppaea

 

Q