Nero, 54-68. Coin Die for a Denarius Obverse (Bronze, 25x22 mm, 54.66 g). Incuse laureate head of Nero to left; around, illegible legend, partially erased. Rev. Blank. Unique and of great interest. Edge hammered and deformed, otherwise, fine.


This obverse die for a denarius of Nero was most likely used by a contemporary forger to produce forgeries such as plated coins to cheat on the silver. At some point, it was deliberately hammered and deformed, and the legends erased, most likely to make it unusable. Perhaps the forger's tools were destroyed after he was caught by the authorities, which would have resulted in severe punishments such as deprivation of his properties and privileges, and, if the forger was a slave, even execution.