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Orbis Collectibles

RIC II Nerva 131

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Issuing entity

Roman Empire

RIC II Nerva 131. Denomination: Dupondius. Authority: Nerva. Mint: Uncertain value. The obverse shows head of Divus Augustus, radiate, right, with the legend DIVVS AVGVSTVS. The reverse shows rudder attached to globe, with the legend IMP NERVA CAES AVG REST S C.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
9
Catalogue references
1

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Nerva served as Roman emperor from AD 96 to 98, assuming power at nearly sixty-six years of age following the assassination of Domitian. Declared emperor by the Roman Senate, he led the Roman Empire during a brief rule characterised by efforts to restore curtailed liberties, though his administration encountered financial problems and unrest from the Praetorian Guard before he adopted Trajan as his successor.

Under the imperial monetary system, the dupondius functioned as a denomination valued at two asses, equivalent to half a sestertius or one-eighth of a denarius. Radiate portraiture had been introduced to distinguish the dupondius from the similarly sized as. Issued under an uncertain mint, this bronze coin forms part of a restitution series under Nerva, bearing the reverse legend "IMP NERVA CAES AVG REST S C" and depicting a rudder attached to a globe. The obverse commemorates the deified first Roman emperor, displaying a radiate head accompanied by the legend "DIVVS AVGVSTVS".

Physical characteristics

Material
Bronze
Denomination
Dupondius

Technical characteristics

Mint
Uncertain value
Authority
Nerva

Design

Obverse
Head of Divus Augustus, radiate, right
Reverse
Rudder attached to globe
Obverse legend
DIVVS AVGVSTVS
Reverse legend
IMP NERVA CAES AVG REST S C

Identification

Type reference
RIC II Nerva 131
Denomination and metal
Dupondius, Bronze
Obverse legend to match
DIVVS AVGVSTVS
Reverse legend to match
IMP NERVA CAES AVG REST S C
Source note
Type description from the American Numismatic Society's Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE); individual specimens differ in die, flan size, weight and wear, and legend breaks may vary.

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Recorded
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

Varieties

  • RIC II Nerva 132

    Near-identical catalogue variant (same obverse and reverse legends, type and denomination, differing only in minor marks or bust detail); consolidated into this entry.

Research required

  • Editorial verification required.
  • Weight, diameter and mint marks require specimen-level evidence.
  • Museum specimen photographs are linked by the source; local photographs and reuse rights remain unverified.
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