Nerva 's career as emperor ended less than two years after his accession to the throne. Up to that point he had been a long-time central politician under the various emperors before him, particularly Domitian and Nero. However, he started off as emperor under a precarious relationship with the army which rightly suspected him of being involved in the conspiracy against Domitian. He made things right in their eyes by presenting them with an embarrassingly apologetic speech and appointing Trajan as his successor. Trajan was at the time an admired general engaging the Germanic tribes. He died in 98 following a stroke and afterwards Trajan forced the Senate to consecrate him.
Busts:
 
In the two years or so being on the throne Nerva managed to make a lot of coins. They are available in gold, silver and bronze today on the cheap… well, the silver and bronze ones anyway! 
 
The main challenge is finding a Denarius or, say, an As in nice shape that one cost an arm and a leg. For cheap you can expect to get a worn silver or a corroded bronze coin. Mint state coins are rare and typically cost several hundred dollars and up, up, up. Somewhere between the two extremes one can expect to find a nice, representative coin of this emperor for about a hundred dollars or so. Prices fluctuate quite a bit not only on overall condition but based on reverse types as well. Some of these types are highly sought after regardless of condition.      

 
1) Laureate head right
2) Radiate head right

 
b) Grain ears
c) Modius with grain ears
d) Juno draped head right

 

Obverses:

 
1) DIVO NERVAE
2) IMP NERVA CAES AVG
3) IMP NERVA CAES AVG GERM PM TR P II
4) IMP NERVA CAES AVG GERM PM TR POT 
5) IMP NERVA CAES AVG GERM PM TR POT PP
6) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P COS II DESIGN III PP
7) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P COS II PP
8) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P COS III PP
9) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P II COS III PP
10) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR POT
11) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR POT II
12) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR POT PP
13) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR POT PP COS III
14) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR POT PP COS IIII
15) IMP NERVA CAES AVG PONT MAX TR P
16) IMP NERVA CAES AVG REST
17) IMP NERVA CAESAR AVGVSTVS REST

 

Reverses:

 
1) ADLOCVT AVG
2) AEQVITAS AVGVST
3) ANNONA AVGVST
4) CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM
5) CONGIAR P R
6) CONSECRATIO
7) COS II DESIGN III PP
8) COS III
9) COS III PATER PATRIAE
10) COS III PP
11) COS IIII
12) DIVVS AVGVSTVS
13) DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER
14) FISCI IVDACI CALVMNIA SVBLATA
15) FORTVNA AVGVST
16) FORTVNA PR
17) IMP II COS III DES IIII PP
18) IMP II COS III DESIGN IIII PP
19) IMP II COS IIII PP
20) IVSTITIA AVGVST
21) LIBERTAS PVBLICA
22) MONETA AVGVST
23) PAX AVG
24) PAX AVGVSTI
25) PLEBEI VRBANAE FRVMENTO CONSTITVTO
26) PM TR P COS III PP
27) PROVIDENTIA SENATVS
28) ROMA RENASCENS
29) SALVS PVBLICA
30) TR POT COS II
31) TVTELA ITALIAE
32) VEHICVLATIONE ITALIA REMISSA
33) VICTORIA AVGVST
34) No legend

 

Types:

 
1) Aequitas standing left, holding scale and cornucopia.
2) Altar
3) Annona standing left, holding grain ears and scepter.
4) Annona standing to left, holding cornucopia facing Ceres seated to right, holding torch; modius on altar between and galley prow in background.
5) Caduceus, winged
6) Eagle
7) Fortuna seated left, holding grain ears and scepter.
8) Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia.
9) Grain ears
10) Hands, in handshake
11) Hands, in handshake, holding legionary eagle on galley prow.
12) Justitia seated right, holding scepter and branch.
13) Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter.
14) Luna (Diana) advancing forward, pulling arrow from quiver and holding bow; deer behind.
15) Modius with grain ears
16) Moneta standing left, holding scale and cornucopia.
17) Mules (2), one standing to left and in front of the second standing to right, grazing; shafts and harness in background.
18) Nerva seated right on platform accompanied by lictor and officer giving donative to citizen to lower right; Minerva and Liberalitas in background.
19) Nerva seated right on platform accompanied by officer giving donative to citizen to lower right; Minerva and Liberalitas in background.
20) Nerva seated to right, raising hand, facing Italia to left; two children between them.
21) Nerva standing right on platform, addressing four soldiers; temple in background.
22) Nerva standing, shaking hands with soldier.
23) Palm tree
24) Pax seated left, holding branch and scepter
25) Roma seated left, holding Victory and spear.
26) Rudder on globe
27) Sacrificial implements: simpulum, cruet, lituus, etc. (variously arranged)
28) Salus seated left, holding grain ears.
29) Standards (3)
30) Temple with (2) columns, Diana within.
31) Temple with (2) columns, Diana within; DIANA PERG inscribed above
32) Temple with (2) columns, Nerva within to left, being crowned by Roma to right, holding cornucopia; ROM ET AVG inscribed above.
33) Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm.
34) Victory seated left, holding wreath and palm.

 

Mint:

 
1) Roma

 
 
AU Aureus Reference(s)
 
1) B1, O08, R02, T01 RIC II 13, C 5
2) B1, O08, R04, T10 RIC II 14, C 19
3) B1, O08, R04, T11 RIC II 15, BMC 27, C 28
4) B1, O08, R15, T08 RIC II 16, BMC 36, C 65

 
AR Tetradrachm
 
5) B1, O12, R08, T29 RIC II 119
6) B1, O12, R08, T31 RIC II 116, C 42
7) B1, O13, R34, T32 COM ASI across fields 
8) B1, O13, R34, T32 COS III across fields RIC II 122 corrected, C 14a

 
AR Denarius
 
9) B1, O03, R09, T08 RIC II 42, C 86
10) B1, O03, R19, T10 RIC II 48, S 3031, C 96
11) B1, O03, R19, T27 RIC II 47, C 95
12) B1, O04, R09, T27 RIC II 24, C 48
13) B1, O07, R04, T10 RIC II 2, C 16
14) B1, O07, R04, T11 RIC II 3, C 25
15) B1, O07, R21, T13 RIC II 7, S 3034
16) B1, O07, R29, T28 RIC II 9, S 3035, C 132
17) B1, O08, R02, T01 RIC II 13, C 6
18) B1, O08, R04, T10 RIC II 14, S 3020
19) B1, O08, R04, T11 RIC II 15, C 29
20) B1, O08, R15, T08 RIC II 16, S 3025
21) B1, O08, R16, T07 RIC II 17, S 3026, C 79
22) B1, O08, R20, T12 RIC II 18, C 101
23) B1, O08, R21, T13 RIC II 19
24) B1, O08, R29, T28 RIC II 20, C 134
25) B1, O09, R04, T10 RIC II 26, C 22
26) B1, O10, R09, T27 RIC II 34, C 51

 
AR Antoninianus (Posthumous)
 
27) B2, O1, R06, T06 RIC 83a (IViii, Trajan Decius), C 152

 
AE Sestertius
 
28) B1, O07, R15, T08 RIC II 60, C 67
29) B1, O08, R04, T11 RIC II 80, C 30
30) B1, O08, R14, T23 RIC II 82, C 57
31) B1, O08, R15, T08 RIC II 83
32) B1, O08, R21, T13 RIC II 316, C 114
33) B1, O08, R23, T24 RIC II 88, C 123
34) B1, O08, R25, T15 RIC II 89, C 127
35) B1, O08, R32, T17 Exe: SC RIC II 93, C 143
36) B1, O09, R15, T08 RIC II 98

 
AE Dupondius
 
37) B2, O07, R21, T13 RIC II 65, C 109
38) B2, O09, R15, T08 RIC II 99, C 74

 
AE As Reference(s)
 
39) B1, O07, R04, T10 Exe: SC RIC II 53, C 17
40) B1, O07, R15, T08 RIC II 83, C 68
41) B1, O08, R02, T01 RIC II 77, S 3060
42) B1, O08, R04, T10 Exe: SC RIC II 79, C 21
43) B1, O08, R21, T13 RIC II 86, C 115
44) B1, O09, R15, T08 RIC II 98, C 73
45) B1, O09, R21, T13 RIC II 100, C 119

 
AE Quadrans
 
46) Bb, O02, R34, T05 RIC II 112, C 138