RPC I, 3661

 

Image of specimen #1

 

Coin type
Volume I
Number 3661
Province Galatia-Cappadocia
Region Cappadocia
City Hierapolis (Comana)
Reign Nero
Person (obv.) Nero (Augustus)
Dating AD 55
Obverse inscription ΝΕΡΩΝΟϹ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ ΚΑΙϹΑΡΟϹ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΟΥ
Edition Νέρωνος Κλαυδίου Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ
Translation of Nero Claudius Caesar, son of the Augustus
Obverse design laureate head of Nero, right
Reverse inscription ΙΕΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ [ΤΩΝ] ΠΡΟϹ ΤΩ ϹΑΡ, Β (below)
Edition Ἱεροπολιτῶν τῶν πρός τῷ Σαρῳ βʹ
Translation of the Hieropolitans by the Saros, 2
Reverse design mountain
Metal copper-based alloy
Average diameter 21 mm
Average weight 6.58 g
Axis 6, 12
Reference Ganschow 1102, Henseler 1601
Specimens 7 (0 in the core collections)
Note See the discussion by K. Butcher in NC 2011, p. 75: ‘The type 3661 was first published in RPC I, when a single specimen was known (our specimen appears to be from different dies). There it was tentatively proposed that the letter B on the reverse was a date (‘year 2’), with reservations, because - unusually - there was no formula for ‘year’ preceding the number. A larger denomination with similar types, but with B at the end of the obverse legend, was published in the RPC Supplement I, S-3661A. The likelihood that B is indeed a date is reinforced by the new countermark on our specimen, which presumably refers to regnal year seven of Nero (ΝΕ[ΡWNOϹ] Ζ). If this interpretation is correct, the coinage with 'year 2' was produced in the first years of Nero's reign between AD 54-56 (Nero’s portrait is clearly a young one), and the countermark ‘year 7’ between AD 59-61.'
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Specimens of this coin type

Number Number Museum Bibliography
1 1     ✸ JSW = CNG MBS 79, 17 Sept. 2008, lot 632
2 2     NC 2011, p. 75 (pl. 6, 1–2)
3 3     Henseler 1601 (ex Gorny & Mosch 160, 9 Oct. 2007, lot 2018)
4 4     Elsen 143, 7 Dec. 2019, lot 619
5 5     Roma EA 75, 15 Oct. 2020, lot 457
7 7     Biga Numismatics EA 34, 27 Oct. 2024, lot 136 (ex Biga Auction 1, 8 Nov. 2020, lot 378)
8 8     VCoins Tom Vossen, Oct. 2024, SKU: 30737