108, Lot: 121. Estimate $300. Sold for $535. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

NERVA. 96-98 AD. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 28.96 gm). Struck 96 AD. Laureate head right / FISCI IVDAICI CALVMNIA SVBLATA, S-C across field, palm-tree. RIC II 58; BMCRE 88; Cohen 54. Near VF, brown patina, surfaces a bit rough, some smoothing and light tooling.

From the Rudolf Berk Collection.

The legend on the reverse of this sestertius refers to Nerva's ending the practice of 'false accusation' used to collect the Jewish tax. Under Domitian, the collection of this tax was harshly enforced. Those who appeared to follow Jewish customs but did not acknowledge being Jews were prosecuted or condemned for godlessness. Nerva did not repeal the tax but limited the abuses in collecting it.