Highly Desirable Jugate Head Denarius of Nero and Agrippina
536
Nero (AD 54-68), with Agrippina II, Silver Denarius, 3.65g. Mint of Rome, AD 55.
NERO CLAVD DIVI F
CAES AVG GERM IMP TR P COS
, jugate busts of Nero and Agrippina II facing right, Nero with a small fold
of drapery behind neck, Agrippina draped. Rev.
AGRIPP AVG DIVI CLAVD NERONIS CAES MATER
, the
diefied emperors Augustus and Claudius seated on a cart drawn by four elephants left,
EX S C
in upper left
field (RIC 7; BMC 8; RSC 4). Well struck and perfectly centred with the portrait of Nero in high relief, lovely
old cabinet toning, superb extremely fine, an incredible coin.
$ 20,000
ex NFA Auction XXV, 29 November 1990, lot 356
For the first few years of Nero’s reign, while he was still a minor, his mother Agrippina enjoyed unparalleled supremacy,
firmly dominating the young emperor. Her portrait and title ostentatiously adorn the early coin issues from the reign,
some with her bust alone and others, such as on this handsome Denarius, showing jugate busts of her son and herself.
As Nero became older he strongly resented Agrippina’s dominance over him and meddling; by AD 59 things had
deteriorated to such a state of affairs that he had her murdered. In hindsight this is perhaps not entirely surprising; even
by ancient standards the actions of the imperial family at this time were considered vile. Suetonius even records that
on the day of Nero’s birth, “Many people at once made many direful predictions from his horoscope, and a remark of
his father Domitius was also regarded as an omen; for while receiving the congratulations of his friends, he said that
‘nothing that was not abominable and a public bane could be born of Agrippina and himself.’” (Seut. Nero vi).
537
Nero (AD 54-68), Gold Aureus, 7.61g, 7h. Mint of Rome, struck AD 60-61.
NERO CAESAR AVG IMP
, head
facing right. Rev.
PONTIF MAX TR P VII COS IIII P P, EX – SC
, Roma, in military dress, standing right, her
left foot resting on a helmet by a dagger and a bow, inscribing a round shield set on her knee (RIC 27; Calicó 430;
BMC 29; RCV 1924). With a very good young portrait of Nero, toned, good very fine.
Scarce
.
$ 7,000
