Sale: Triton VIII, Lot: 798. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Monday, 10 January 2005.  Sold For $630. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GALILEE, Sepphoris. Nero. 54-68 AD. Æ 22mm (7.71 gm, 11h). Dated regnal year 14 (67/8 AD). Vespaisan, governor. NERWNO KLAUDIOU KAICAPO C, L DI (date) above; all within wreath / EPI OUECPACIANOU EIRHNOPOLI NERW NIADI CEPFWR, around large S C. Meshorer 128 var (same); RPC I 4850 var (reverse legend); Hendin 587 var. (same). VF, desert patina, typical weak strike. Extremely rare, unpublished variant. ($750)

Sepphoris did not join the revolt that heralded the First Jewish War, and was spared destruction. This unusual coin bears the names of both current emperor, Nero, and future emperor Vespasian, as his governor. This coin, which welcomed Vespasian as general of the Roman armies, gives the civic epithet of Irenopolis - "City of Peace" as well as Neronias. All other published specimens of this coin give the city name as NERWNIAC rather than NERWNIADI-"the Neronian City".