The Roman Empire
Octavian, as Augustus 27 BC – 14 AD
As, Nemausus circa 10 BC-10 AD, Æ 12.84 g. IMP / DIVI F Heads of Agrippa and Augustus back to back, the former wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath, the latter wearing an laurel wreath. Rev. COL – NEM Crocodile r., chained to palm-tree with long, vertical fronds; at the top of the tree, wreath with long ties. C 7. BMC –. RIC 158. Sear, RCTV Millennium Edition 1730 (this specimen illustrated). RPC 524. CBN –.
Dark patina and good very fine
Ex NFA XXV, 1990, 334 and Gemini III, 2007, 337 sales.

One of the great troop settlements created by Augustus, and here clearly also attributed to Agrippa, was the city of Colonia Nemausus in Narbonensis – modern day France. Through the reverse design of the Egyptian crocodile we can also tell the colony was settled by troops involved in the defeat of Cleopatra and Egypt itself. This is not a particularly rare coin but the present coin has excellent obverse detail and a complete crocodile and palm tree on the reverse. It is rare as such. I never found one that I felt exhibited all these details but was in higher grade. Really a nice coin for the type. MSG.