OTHO

Reigned: 69 A.D.

  MARCVS SALVIVS OTHO, born on April 28, 32 to Albia Terentia and Lucius Otho, gained favor with Nero and was given the Governorship of Hispania Lusitania in 58, leaving behind his wife Poppaea, whom Nero married four years later. In March, 68 the German legions rebelled and Spain joined. Galba, the Governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, took the throne when Nero killed himself in June of 68. Galba was unpopular and Otho staged a coup on January 15, 69. The Rhine legions refused to acknowledge him and he killed himself on April 16, 69 after being defeated by them at the First Battle of Cremona.(From MONETA, from www.numus.com)

 

The Denarii



Silver Denarius (17.5mm, 2.95gr), Struck Jan-Feb 69 A.D. in Rome.

Obv: IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P Bare head right

Rev: SECVRITAS P R Securitas standing left holding wreath and scepter.

RIC 8, RSC 17, Sear 2162       Mark Lehman Collection


Silver Denarius (20mm, 3.41gr), Struck Jan-Feb 69 A.D. in Rome.

Obv: IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P Bare head right

Rev: SECVRITAS P R Securitas standing left holding wreath and scepter.

RIC 8, RSC 17, Sear 2162       Pierre R. Monney Collection


Silver Denarius (18.5mm, 3.16gr), Struck Mar-Apr 69 A.D. in Rome.

Obv: IMP OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P Bare head right

Rev: PONT MAX Ceres standing left, with grain ears and cornucopiae

RIC 20, RSC 11      Jan de Veen Collection

Fourees and Counterfeits


AR/AE Fouree of a Denarius Struck c.71 A.D. Unofficial mint

Obv: IMP OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P Otho's bare head right.

Rev: COS ITER TR POT Aequitas standing left holding scales and rod.

Obv: Cf. RIC I, 2; Rx. Cf. RIC II, 4.      Mark Lehman Collection


Brass "Sestertius" 34mm (23.05gr) Struck 19th Century? Unknown mint

Obv: IMP OTHO CAESAR AVG TRI POT Otho's bare head right.

Rev: PONT MAX TR P VIII LVD SAEC S C / SVFPD Domitian seated left on platform inscribed "SVFPD", presenting fumigants to citizen, before whom stands a child.

Klawans, Otho, Obv 3, Domitian, Rx 1      Mark Lehman Collection
Of course, Otho struck no Imperial AEs. Enterprising forgers have striven for millennia to fill the resulting vacant slots in the cabinets of the rich and credulous. This appears to be a 2nd or 3rd generation cast made from impressions of Cavino medals, obverse of Otho, reverse of Domitian - maybe 19th century? "No collection complete without one!"