AD 54–68 Silver Billon Tetradrachm of Emperor Nero NGC-Certified

He “Lyred” While Rome Burned!

When he became Roman emperor in AD 54, Nero was a young 17-year-old teenager who enjoyed the theater, music, and horse racing and was even described as handsome. Though unpopular with Roman aristocracy, he enjoyed the support from lower-class commoners throughout the empire and, perhaps more importantly, the loyalty of the Praetorian Guard, the personal bodyguards for the Roman emperors and famous for their ability to help overthrow emperors they didn’t like. By the time of his death in AD 68 at the age of 30, he was described as a tyrannical, self-indulgent, and debauched ruler and was declared a public enemy by the Roman Senate.

One Of History’s Most Infamous Criminals

How did this all transpire in just such a brief period of time? No one quite pinpoint the exact cause of what turned the once-sensitive young man into one of history’s greatest criminals, but unchecked power allowed to run amok over a period of years certainly tops the list. Today, his name is synonymous with evil. Historic records show that he was responsible for killing his stepbrother, his wife, and his mother, as well persecuting Christians and instigating the devastating Great Fire of Rome. Now you can own a piece of that era with a coin—a Silver Billon Tetradrachm—that was struck during the height of Rome’s depravity under Nero.

Fiddling While Rome Burned

This ancient silver billon Tetradrachm from the early Roman Empire depicts Nero, the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the first dynasty of Rome. Infamous for his lavish lifestyle and insane tendencies, Nero was rumored to have had the great fire of Rome started as a way to clear room to expand his castle. Known for his lyre-playing (the fiddle hadn’t been invented yet), Nero was said to have been so inspired by the massive fire that he played his lyre well into the night—literally “fiddling” while Rome burned! The palace was expanded on land cleared by the fire and was adorned with jewels, precious marble, and a colossal statue of Nero himself. Nero met his end after he ordered his private servant to stab him to death as his enemies closed in on him all the while muttering to himself, “What an artist dies in me!”

Certified Genuine And Authentic By NGC

Each Silver Billon Tetradrachm of Emperor Nero available here was struck during his reign between AD 54 to 68 and comes certified by the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) as being genuine and encapsulated in a museum-quality acrylic holder. After his death Rome saw the “Year of the Four Emperors,” the empire’s first civil war and the end of the Julio-Claudians dynasty and the beginning of the Flavian Dynasty. Nero’s name was removed from many monuments and scores of his statues were damaged in an attempt to erase the memory of his depraved reign from existence—but they didn’t get their hands on the coins offered here! HURRY! Make sure you get one for your collection before our supply is erased from existence!