Nero Claudius Drusus, Aureus, 41-45
Lugdunum - Gold - VF(30-35) - Calicó:315
PLEASE NOTE: this collector's item is unique. We therefore cannot guarantee its availability over time and recommend that you do not delay too long in completing your purchase if you are interested.
Head of Nero Claudius Drusus, laureate, left.
DE above and GERM on architrave of triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue right, holding spear, between two trophies, each with seated and bound captive at foot.
Posthumously struck in the name of Nero Claudius Drusus, brother of Tiberius, who died in 9 BC, struck under Claudius, his son, between 41 and 45. This aureus corresponds to the period when Claudius ordered a number of posthumous issues in honour of his father, celebrating here his military achievements with this triumphal arch. Richly decorated and full of details, it depicts the victories of Nero Claudius Drusus over the Germans. From 13 BC until his death, he defeated various Germanic tribes as legate of Gaul, then consul during the year of his death in 9 BC. Posthumously, the Senate granted him the title of Germanicus, "conqueror of the Germans", and erected a triumphal arch in his honour in Rome. It still exists today, although it is very damaged. We can imagine that this arch, on the Via Appia, was, when it was built, adorned with the decorations visible on the coin, with a superb equestrian statue as well as statues and military trophies celebrating the victories of the emperor's father over the troops of the Germanic tribes. There is a small mark on the cheek of the portrait, but despite the circulation wear, this is a fine and rare example of aureus, whose reverse is full of history. Calicó 315; BMCRE 95 (same rev. die – Claudius –Rome). Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 401 (12 July 2017), lot 456.
NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP
7.72 gr
Gold
Although nowadays gold enjoys a reputation as the king of precious metals, that was not always the case. For example, in Ancient Greece, Corinthian bronze was widely considered to be superior. However, over the course of time, it has established itself as the prince of money, even though it frequently vies with silver for the top spot as the standard.
Nevertheless, there are other metals which appear to be even more precious than this duo, take for example rhodium and platinum. That is certain. Yet, if the ore is not as available, how can money be produced in sufficient quantities? It is therefore a matter of striking a subtle balance between rarity and availability.
But it gets better: gold is not only virtually unreactive, whatever the storage conditions (and trouser pockets are hardly the most precious of storage cases), but also malleable (coins and engravers appreciate that).
It thus represents the ideal mix for striking coins without delay – and we were not going to let it slip away!
The chemical symbol for gold is Au, which derives from its Latin name aurum. Its origins are probably extraterrestrial, effectively stardust released following a violent collision between two neutron stars. Not merely precious, but equally poetic…
The first gold coins were minted by the kings of Lydia, probably between the 8th and 6th century BC. Whereas nowadays the only gold coins minted are investment coins (bullion coins) or part of limited-edition series aimed at collectors, that was not always the case. And gold circulated extensively from hand to hand and from era to era, from the ancient gold deposits of the River Pactolus to the early years of the 20th century.
As a precious metal, in the same way as silver, gold is used for minting coins with intrinsic value, which is to say the value of which is constituted by the metal from which they are made. Even so, nowadays, the value to the collector frequently far exceeds that of the metal itself...
It should be noted that gold, which is naturally very malleable, is frequently supplemented with small amounts of other metals to render it harder.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of gold included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ gold or 999 parts of gold per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
