Province Asia
Subprovince Conventus of Sardis
City Sardis 
Region Lydia
Reign Nero
Obverse inscription ΝΕΡΩΝ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ
Obverse design laureate head of Nero, right
Reverse inscription ΕΠΙ ΤΙ ΜΝΑϹΕΟΥ ϹΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ
Reverse design Zeus standing, left, with eagle and staff

Coin no. 13 of RPC I, 3007

 

Museum Geldmuseum, Österreichische Nationalbank, Vienna (Austria)
Inventory no.
Reference Leypold 1214
Diameter 19
Weight 4.20
Axis
Note RPC Supplement 3007A: "It has the unexpected reverse legend CΑP[ΔΙΑ]ΝΩΝ ΔΙC ΝЄOKΟΡΩΝ instead of the normal CΑPΔΙΑNΩΝ ЄΠΙ ΤΙ ΜΝΑCЄΟΥ. The inscription seems clear from the illustration in SNG Leypold, and, although there is no personal name on the coin, it is stylistically like the coins of Mnaseas, of c. AD 65. However it is very surprising to find the phrase ‘twice neocorate’ as early as the reign of Nero, and it is very hard to interpret it in the case of Sardis, whose second neocorate is not attested until the reign of Septimius Severus (BMC 205). The suspicion arises that there is something wrong with the coin." Burrell, Neokoroi, p. 100, note 2: "A coin of Nero that seemed to declare Sardis twice neokoros (SNG Leypold 1214) does not in fact exist: the reverse is that of a coin of Julia Domna, SNG Leypold 1220."
Addition Additional coin (post publication)