Help with strange silver Nero Tetradrachm?

[Lex H]

Hi again everyone,

Between a hoard of about 85 mostly Nero BI Tetradrachm i found a strange example in all kind of ways.

Largest size is 25 mm, this is normal.
Weight is: 14.50 g. ; this is high compared with the other tetradrachm i have here.
Then it's made of almost pure silver, at least 95% pure.
The obverse is normal, Bust of nero off center.
The reverse is blank with roman numbers worked into it with some kind of tool.

Has anybody seen this before or knows what this could be?

Thank you, Lex

[SC]

Could be a token for something unrelated to currency, perhaps done after the coin was obsolete.

Several early Roman imperial coin types were marked with Roman numerals in the 5th c AD, but I believe they were only large bronzes and that the numerals were higher than IV.

The picture is a bit fuzzy when enlarged.  I assume you have checked under magnification and are certain that it is a punch and not a rotary tool?

SC

[Lex H]

I tried to make some better pictures of both sides.
Bought a better scale as well, it points out exactly 14 g.

The best quality normal Nero tetradrachms i can find on the internet are just below 14 g.
Also very strange that this example is made out of silver instead of billon, why silver?

[djmacdo]

I do not think it is made from an original Nero tetradrachm from Alexandria--the obverse seems to show a large portion of the edge of the original coin and the edge is very odd for a legitimate Nero tetradrachm.

[Jay GT4]

It reminds me of a proto contorniate

[paps]

Just taking a stab at it. Perhaps a test strike prototype. The Roman numeral could represent the 4th  example to be approved by Nero himself .

[PeterD]

Also very strange that this example is made out of silver instead of billon, why silver?

Billon is a mixture of silver and base metal. Nero's tetradrachms contained 15-20% silver. That's enough to make them silver in appearance although a bit dull. This particular coin seems to be very corroded. It may be that the base metal element at the surface has preferentially been eaten away leaving pure silver there. That should lead to a reduced overall weight. But the coin looks much thicker than normal, which must account for the higher than average weight.

A tetradrachm was a 4 drachm coin of course. It's tempting to think that someone marked this coin with "IV" to re-assert it's value. But that's speculation.

[djmacdo]

What is the weght?

[Canaan]

I tried to make some better pictures of both sides.
Bought a better scale as well, it points out exactly 14 g.

The best quality normal Nero tetradrachms i can find on the internet are just below 14 g.
Also very strange that this example is made out of silver instead of billon, why silver?

[stultus]

I might be wrong, but I think, that the obverse die(?) seems to be created using a coin. Its flan was too small for the die, that is why an empty border is visible along the edge of the coin. The edge of the original coin is also visible. This could explain the partial letter above the head.

[djmacdo]

The edge is odd too, much like the edges I associate with fakes made with a pressure press rather than striking.