Watch List notes:

The Roman Empire
Galba, 68 – 69

Aureus July 68-January 69, AV 7.29 g. IMP SER GALBA AVG Bare head r. Rev. S P Q R / OB C S within oak wreath. C 286. BMC 29. RIC 164. CBN 72. Calicó 509.
Rare. An excellent strong portrait of fine style perfectly
centred on a full flan. Extremely fine

Ex NAC sale 40, 2007, 670.

A really great portrait of Galba! MSG.

Almost more remarkable than Galba's legacy as an emperor for seven months in 68 and 69 is the life he enjoyed before he claimed the purple. He was among the wealthiest men in the empire, and is said not to have travelled anywhere, not even on a casual afternoon ride, with less than ten thousand gold pieces. Being so wealthy and belonging to a noble family, the Sulplcii, it is not surprising that he held many important posts in Rome and in the provinces, and was a personal acquaintance of the Julio-Claudians. Galba began his association with the Julio-Claudians with a pinch on the cheek from Augustus when he was a child, and thereafter he was a personal acquaintance of the emperors from Tiberius to Nero, whom he overthrew in 68. Agrippina Junior was apparently infatuated with him, and he enjoyed especially close friendships with Claudius and Livia. Suetonius tells us Livia made Galba her principal heir, leaving him 500,000 aurei, but that Tiberius nullified her bequest on a technicality, reducing the amount to only 5,000.