Lot 2799

Description

Nero Claudius Drusus, (Claudius's father) (died 9 B.C.), posthumous issue struck by Claudius, (A.D. 41-2), AE sestertius, (24.62 g), with obverse countermark NCAPR in block, obv. NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP, Drusus head to left, rev. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP around, S C in exergue, Claudius seated left on curule chair with arms around, holding a branch, (S.1896, RIC 93 [Claudius], BMC 157, C.8). Bronze colouration, nearly fine and very scarce.

This interesting countermark was struck upon the base metal coinage during the first eight to ten years of Nero's reign when only gold and silver was minted in his name from the mint of Rome. Speculation as to why it was used and what its translation is varies according to which theory one adheres to. These are the two most common translations :
1. Nero Claudius Augustus Probavit. Roughly, "with the approval of Nero Claudius, the Augustus."
2. Nero Claudius Augustus Populo Romano. Roughly, "from Nero Claudius, the Augustus, to the people of Rome."
In the first case it is the revalidation of the coins of Nero's three immediate predecessors (Tiberius. Caligula and Claudius). But in the second instance it is a "congiarium." or public dole given by Nero sometime after his succession to the throne. Originally in the form of wine or grain it later developed into the custom of monetary donations given by the emperors to the populace of Rome. Since the greater majority of those specimens found to date are from either the mint of Rome or Lugdunum and show very little wear to necessitate countermarking, then the second of the two translations is probably correct. (coin talk February 2020).