Divus Augustus, died AD 14. As (Copper, 29 mm, 11.28 g, 6 h), Rome, struck under Nerva, circa 97-98. DIVVS AVGVSTVS Bare head of Divus Augustus to right.
Rev. IMP NERVA CAES AVG REST / S - C Eagle standing front on thunderbolt, wings spread and head turned to right. BMC 156 note. CBN 152. Cohen 565. Komnick 8.0. RIC 128. A lovely example of this very rare issue with a beautiful green patina and an attractive posthumous portrait. Somewhat smoothed
, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.
From the Aes Augustorum Collection, formed since the late 1990s.
This coin and lots 238-239 below are part of Nerva's 'restitution' coinage. Such issues are known from the reign of Titus onwards, and are so called because of the legend, which includes 'REST' for 'restituit' in Latin (meaning 'has restored'), and the fact that they usually copy the coin types of previous emperors. In the case of Nerva, a rare series of coins was struck in the name of the deified Augustus, although the copying was relatively imprecise. Rather than accuracy, the main goal of these coins appears to have been to link Nerva's reign, which from the outset was troubled by hostility from the army, with that of Augustus, Rome's first emperor. Whether it had much effect is doubtful; only the adoption of Trajan as Nerva's heir in 97 appears to have assuaged the army and prevented another bloody coup.
