Pre-Long Beach Auction #80

Nero. Silver Denarius (3.53 g), AD 54-68. Rome, ca. AD 64/5. NERO CAESAR, laureate head of Nero right sporting slight beard. Reverse AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS, Nero standing facing, radiate and togate, holding Victory on globe and laurel branch. RIC 47; WCN 22; BMC 60; RSC 45. A wonderful bold strike on a full flan and perfectly centered. Every whisker on Nero is complete and the the facing figure of Nero on the reverse is also incredible. Lovely pastel iridescent toning on both sides adds to its appeal. Superb Extremely Fine.

Struck circa AD 64/5, this coin's reverse shows the monumental bronze statue of Nero in the guise of Sol that was originally just outside of the main palace entrance of Nero's Domus Aurea ('Golden House').

The Greek sculptor, Zenodoros, constructed the statue between AD 64 and 68, thus the representation on the coin predates the completed statue. After Nero's downfall, Vespasian replaced the head of the statue with one of the god Sol himself. In the second century, Hadrian had the statue moved adjacent to the Flavian Amphitheater, from which that building derives its popular name, the Colosseum.
Estimated Value $10,000 - 13,000.