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Rome, as, Nerva and Fortuna holding rudder and cornucopiae
30.12.2023
..da Ancient Roman Coins.
Hey!
I am hoping someone might help me with an identification of the following coin.
I believe it is Nerva, but I wanted a second opinion (I also know the reverse is very, very worn) so I am more looking for the name of the emperor.
The weight is 8.67g and the diameter is 23mm
Thanks in advance!
fig. 1
Click on images to enlarge
Rome, 30.12.2023
Dear,
I report below the significant elements regarding the figure coin:

Æ As1, Rome mint, 96 a. D., RIC II 73 (page. 228), Cohen II 67 (page 7), rarity index "C"

Summary description (parts of the legend that are worn or otherwise no longer legible are indicated in red):
D. IMP NERVA CAES AVG - P M TR P COS II DESIGN III P P2. Nerva, laureate head right.
R. FORTVNA - AVGVST3. Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. S C4 across fields.

A search on the web for coins of the figure typology yielded the following results:

  1. vcoins €119.00 Rates for: 12/30/23 Coin, Nerva, As, 96, Rome, Bronze, RIC:73. Coin, Nerva, Laureate head of Nerva on the right, Fortuna standing left, holding a rudder in her right hand and a cornucopia in her left. FEATURES DENOMINATION As. YEAR 96 MINT NAME Rome COMPOSITION Bronze DIAMETER 34.1 MAIN CHARACTER Nerva WEIGHT (G) 12.22.
  2. https://www.romanumismatics.com/205-lot-783-nerva-a-as?auction_id=59&view=lot_detail E-Sale 60, 01-08-2019, Lot 783 Nerva Æ As. Description Nerva Æ As. Rome, AD 96. IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II DESIGN III P P, laureate head right / FORTVNA AVGVSTI, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae; S-C across fields. RIC 73. 9.21g, 26mm, 6h. Very Fine. Ex L. Rose Collection. Sold For: £73,32.
  3. https://elsen.bidinside.com/it/lot/19959/nerva-96-98-as-96-rome-d-imp-nerva-/ Lot 673 - Vente publique 154 Estimation: 100,00 EUR Prix de départ: 80,00 EUR Adjudication: 0,00 EUR Description NERVA (96-98), as, 96, Rome. D/ IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P COS II DESIGN III PP T. l. à d. R/ FORTVNA-AVGVST/ S-C Fortuna deb. à g., ten. un gouvernail et une corne d'abondance. BMC 18, 100 var.; RIC 73. 10,38g. Patine verte. Etat de conservation: about Very Fine.
  4. https://numismatics.org/collection/1973.56.267?lang=it Descrizione fisica Asse: 6 Dimensioni Peso (in g): 10.31 Diametro (in mm): 27 Descrizione del tipo Data: AD 96 Tipo d'oggetto: Moneta Tecnica di produzione: Coniato Nominale: Asse Materiale: Bronzo Autorità emittente Autorità emittente: Nerva Geografico Zecca: Roma Regione: Italia Dritto Ritratto: Nerva Rovescio Divinità: Fortuna Riferimenti Riferimento: RIC II Nerva 73 (as) Riferimento: BMC 100 Storia amministrativa Numero identificativo: 1973.56.267 Dipartimento/Ufficio: Roman Collezione: American Numismatic Society ImageSponsor: Mike Gasvoda Soggetti Series: RIC.1.2 Diritti Copyright Holder: American Numismatic Society Licenza d'uso: Public Domain Mark (images) Diritti: No Copyright - United States. Dritto: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II DESIGN III P P - Head of Nerva, laureate, right. Rovescio: FORTVNA AVGVST S C - Fortuna, draped, standing left, holding rudder set on ground in right hand and cornucopiae in left.
  5. https://ikmk.uni-freiburg.de/object?id=ID529 01245 Obverse IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II DESIGN III P P. Kopf des Nerva mit Lorbeerkranz nach r. Reverse [FORTVNA] AVGVST. Fortuna steht in Vorderansicht, den Kopf nach l. In der r. Hand ein Ruder, in der l. Hand ein Füllhorn (cornucopiae). Beiderseits S - C. Sitter Nerva Date 96 n. Chr. Denomination As nomisma NDP Bronze Nomisma NDP; 10,25 g; 28 mm; 6 h Production struck Mint Rome Publications RIC II Nr. 73 (Rom, 96 n. Chr.). Web Portals http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2.ner.73_as Department Antiquity, Roman Imperial period. previous Owner Heinrich Wefels 1913 - 1931 Object number ID529. Permalink https://ikmk.uni-freiburg.de/object?id=ID529.
  6. vcoins €95.00. Rates for: 12/30/23. 96-98 AD. RIC 73 Nerva. AE As (10.39gm, 27.5mm). Rome mint. Struck 96 AD. Obv.: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II DESIGN III P P, laureate head right. Rev.: FORTVNA AVGVST, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae; S - C in field. RIC 73; Cohen 63. aVF.
Let us come to the conclusions. Within the limits of a remote assessment, the coin, although very worn, appears to have acceptable physical, general and stylistic characteristics. If authentic, its market value, in my opinion, should not exceed 70€.

Best regards.
Giulio De Florio

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Notes:

(1) Æ As. I collect in the table below the physical characteristics of asses of the figure type taken from the above links:

References: Weight (g) Diameter (mm) Die axis (h)
Link1 12,22 34,1 -
 Link2 9,21 26 6
Link3 10,38 - -
Link4 10,31 27 -
Link5 10,25 28 6
Link6 10,39 27,5 -
it can be deduced from the table that the physical characteristics of the coin shown (8.67g, 23 mm) fall within the margins of variability of period coins of the same type found on the web.
(2) IMP NERVA CAES AVG - P M TR P COS II DESIGN III P P (IMPerator NERVA CAESar AVGustus Pontifex Maximus TRibunicia Potestate COnSul II Designatus tertium Pater Patriae). The coin can be dated accurately as Nerva received the promise for the third consulship (COS III) in 96. For a biographical summary of this emperor, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerva.
(3) FORTVNA - AVGVST3 (FORTVNA AVGVSTi). I take from BMC III some notes on the subject: " «Fortuna Augusti» is accompanied by the usual attributes, the rudder with which it directs the world and the cornucopia from which it dispenses his blessings. Empire is, on the one hand, the gift of the great capricious power that stirs the destinies of men; on the other, it is under the control of the wise and benevolent 'providentia deorum' (divine foresight, according to the Romans). How the two beliefs were reconciled, only an expert in polytheistic theology could explain it. It gives us a deep insight into the thought of the time to observe that often, as in this case, the idea of Fortune predominates over that of Providence. «Fortuna Augusti» is balanced by «Fortuna Populi Romani». Worshipped from the earliest times, «Fortuna Populi Romani» became, in the period of the great civil wars, a watchword of senatorial conservatism. Combining «Fortuna Populi Romani» with his own, Nerva blends the once irreconcilable ... Principality and Liberty ('res olim dissociabiles ... Principatus ac libertas' - Tacitus, Agricola). Why Fortune is associated with the spikes of Ceres we do not know. One can imagine that the attribute was traditional for the goddess, dating back to the early days when she was recognised as a great deity of growth and not yet restricted to her later sphere. «Fortuna Populi Romani» corresponds in a way to the Greek deity Τύχη and the pair «Fortuna Augusti» and «Fortuna Populi Romani» shows a clear resemblance to the more familiar «Rome and Augustus»."
(4) S C (Senatus Consulto, "by decree of the Senate") was the usual abbreviation affixed to the Roman bronze nominals (sesterces, dupondi and asses) to indicate the exclusive competence of the Roman Senate in decisions relating to the issues of those coins (the gold and silver coinage, which does not bear that acronym, fell instead within the direct competence of the emperor).
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