Nero AE Contorniate
In the name of Nero (54-68 AD). AE contorniate (40 mm, 23.63 g), Rome, struck in the late 4th century.
Obv. IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P MAX, Laureate head of Nero to right.
Rev.The circle of an amphitheatre with a venatio scene: in foreground, a bear running left towards a bestiarius standing right, operating a turnstile hung with bait; behind him, a bestiarius standing right with a spear; in background, five seated figures in the front row of the amphitheatre, the middle three of whom are raising their right hands; in front of them, prizes.
Alföldi 222, pl. 89, 7 (1 ex., same dies) = Mittag 209.
Extremely rare and possibly the only specimen in private hands, the other being in the Collection of the British Museum. Heavily smoothed and tooled. Almost very fine.