Pre-Long Beach Auction #80

Nero. Silver Denarius (3.6 g), as Caesar, AD 50-54. Rome, under Claudius, AD 51. NERONI CLAVDIO DRVSO GERM COS DESIGN, bare-headed and draped bust of Nero right. Reverse EQUESTER / OR-DO / PRINCIPI / IVVENT in four lines on shield, behind which stands a spear. RIC 79; BMC 93; RSC 97. rARE. Well struck and perfectly centered with all letters complete. A couple of minute marks in the obverse field hardly worthy of mention. Lovely old cabinet toning with hints of iridescense present. Choice Extremely Fine.

Nero, born December 15 AD 37, was the son of Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger. While Nero was still a small child his father died, and his mother later married her uncle, the emperor Claudius. Claudius already had a natural son, Britannicus, who was regarded as heir apparent, but after marrying Agrippina he began to favor Nero. In 51 Nero came of age, donning the toga virilis (the universal sign of Roman adulthood and citizenship), and received signal honors: consul deignate with tribunician powers, elevation to the high priesthoods, and the title princeps iuventutis which is commemorated by the reverse of this coin.
Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,000.
Ex Imagines Imperatorvm Sale (Aureo & Calicó, 8 February 2012), 29.