Augustus and Agrippa AS - crocodile halved As interesting! (MA22118)

Augustus, with Agrippa, 27 BC-AD 14. As (Bronze, 15x25 mm, 7.15 g,), Nemausus, circa 16-10 BC. IMP / [DIVI F] Heads of Agrippa, on the left, wearing rostral crown and laurel wreath, and of Augustus, on the right, back to back. Rev. [COL N]IM Crocodile to right, chained to large palm; below, two branches. RIC 156. RPC I 526. Rare with 'COL NIM'. Halved in antiquity and with minor smoothing, otherwise, very fine.

Clear portrait of Agrippa. Nemausus (now Nîmes) was a colony Octavian/Augustus set up for his veterans from the civil war against Antony and Cleopatra. They would have appreciated the presence of the great general Agrippa on this coin; the chained crocodile on the reverse represents a captured Egypt. The veterans also apparently suffered from a lack of small change, as many of these coins are found halved.