Ancient Roman Gold Coins

Lot 3204    Session 11 (9.30am Thursday 20th November)    Ancient Roman Gold Coins

Estimate $22,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $19,000

NERO CLAUDIUS DRUSUS, father of Germanicus and Claudius, died 9 B.C., gold aureus (7.63 g), Lugdunum mint, struck under Claudius, 41-42 A.D., obv. Laureate head of Drusus to left, around NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP, Rev. two oblong shields crossed, upright vexillum and crossed spears and trumpets in the background, spaced around DE GERMANIS, (S.1893, RIC I 73 [Claudius]; BMCRE 104 [Claudius]; Cohen 7). Good very fine and very rare.

Nero Claudius Drusus, also known as Drusus Senior, was the younger brother of the emperor Tiberius. Born in 38 B.C., he was brought up in the household of Augustus and later married Antonia, the daughter of Mark Antony and Augustus' sister Octavia. The couple had two sons, Germanicus and the future emperor Claudius. Drusus was a brilliant general, and in 12 BC Augustus entrusted him with the overall command of the projected conquest of Germany. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 9 BC when the twenty-nine-year-old general expired in summer encampment following a fall from his horse. He was succeeded in the German command by his brother Tiberius. No coinage was issued in the name of Nero Claudius Drusus until half a century after his death. On the accession to the throne of his younger son Claudius, a commemorative coinage was instituted by the new emperor honouring both his father and his mother, the latter only recently deceased at the age of seventy-three. These were struck in gold, silver, and orichalcum, and the precious metal denominations of Drusus celebrate his victories in Germany (DE GERMANIS). This aureus type shows an arrangement of arms together with a legionary vexillum.