Watch List notes:

The Roman Empire

Nero augustus, 54 – 68. Aureus circa 64–65, AV 7.41 g. NERO CAESAR – AVGVSTVS Laureate head r. Rev. IANVM CLVSIT PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA Temple of Janus with closed doors. C 114. BMC 64. RIC 50. CBN 212. Calicó 409.
Rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Unusually well-centred for the issue,
an unobtrusive mark on the eyebrow, otherwise virtually as struck and almost Fdc

Ex NAC sale 11, 1998, 383.
The Temple of Janus – the god of beginnings and endings – was one of Rome's most ancient. It was believed that Romulus built it after he made peace with the Sabines, and that king Numa decreed its doors should be opened during war and shut during times of peace. Its doors had been shut perhaps five or six times in all Roman history prior to the reign of Nero – once under king Numa (who originated the tradition), once at the end of the Second Punic War, three times under Augustus, and, according to Ovid, once under Tiberius. Thus, when in 65 peace had been generally established on all the empire's fronts, Nero did not hesitate to close the temple's doors. He marked the event with great celebrations and struck a large and impressive series of coins. The inscription on this issue is one of the most instructive on all Roman coins, for it announces "the doors of Janus have been closed after peace has been procured for the Roman People on the land and on the sea". Despite Nero's contentment with affairs on the empire's borders, the year 65 was not a happy one on the home front: much of Rome was still in ashes from the great fire of the previous year, Nero had narrowly escaped murder in the Pisonian conspiracy, and not long afterward he had kicked to death his pregnant wife Poppaea.