A former friend of Nero's and a key figure in the Roman political elite, Otho’s fortunes turned for the worse when he became involved with a woman desired by Nero himself. In order to remove his competition, Nero simply exiled him to faraway Portugal under the guise of a "promotion". Some ten years later after Nero's own ill-fated end, Otho hoped to return to Rome as Caesar under Galba who had gathered an army and prepared to claim the crown. Galba had had a politically favorable relationship with Otho and it's conceivable that the two could have had such an agreement. On becoming Augustus, however, Galba for whatever reason sidestepped Otho and named Piso Licianus, a garden variety aristocrat, as his successor. Infuriated at hearing the news of this betrayal, Otho summoned a sympathetic army and within days had Galba executed and placed himself as emperor.
Otho still had to deal with the approaching army of Vitellius who were already enroute to fight Galba. Although he set out with an able army to meet Vitellius's forces an unexpected turn of events had Otho commit suicide just prior to a major engagement. He did this, apparently, out of a patriotic need to end the civil war.
AU Aureus
RIC 3, BMC 1 Aureus Obv: IMPMOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PAXORBISTERRARVM - Pax standing left, holding olive branch and caduceus. January - April 69 (Rome).
RIC 7, BMC 13, C 16, Vagi 834 Aureus Obv: IMPMOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: SECVRITASPR - Securitas standing left, holding wreath and scepter. January - April 69 (Rome). $39,381 12/5/02.
AR Denarius
RIC 2, C 1 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: CERESAVG - Ceres standing left, holding grain ears and cornucopia.
RIC 4, BMC 3 Denarius Obv: IMPMOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PAXORBISTERRARVM - Pax standing left, holding olive branch and caduceus. RIC 6v, BMC 3, S 2157 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PAXORBISTERRARVM - Pax standing left, holding olive branch and caduceus. February - March 69 (Rome). [RIC lists this type only as an an Aureus]. January - April 69 (Rome). $1,215 12/13/02. RIC 8, BMC 18, S 2162, C 17 Denarius Obv: IMPMOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: SECVRITASPR - Securitas standing left, holding wreath and scepter. January - April 69 (Rome). RIC 10, BMC 19, C 15 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: SECVRITASPR - Securitas standing left, holding wreath and scepter. January - March 69 (Rome). RIC 12, BMC 20 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: SECVRITASPR - Securitas draped and standing left, holding wreath and scepter. January - April 69 (Rome). $1,125 2/16/03. RIC 14, BMC 22, C 27 Denarius Obv: IMPMOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: VICTORIAOTHONIS - Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm. January - March 69 (Rome). $895 7/1/03. RIC 16, BMC 14 Denarius Obv: IMPMOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: VICTORIAOTHONIS - Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm. January - March 69 (Rome). $589 3/20/04. RIC 19 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PONTIFMAX - Aequitas, draped, standing left, holding scales and vertical scepter. January - April 69 (Rome). RIC 20, BMC 9, BN 25, C 11 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PONTMAX - Ceres standing left, holding grain ears and cornucopia. March - April 69 (Rome). RIC 21 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PONTMAX - Jupiter seated right on throne, holding thunderbolt and scepter. January - April 69 (Rome). $1,310 9/24/03. RIC 22, BMC 12, C 12 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Head bare right. Rev: PONTMAX - Otho brandishing spear on horse prancing right. RIC 24, BMC 11 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PONTMAX - Vesta seated left, holding patera and scepter. January - April 69 (Rome). RIC anecdotal (I, p.261), BMC 9 Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PONTMAX - Ceres standing left, holding grain-ears and cornucopia. January - April 69 (Rome). $725 4/1/01. Unlisted RIC, C 4a Denarius Obv: IMPOTHOCAESARAVGTRP - Bare head right. Rev: PAXORBISTERRARVM - Pax standing left, holding branch and caduceus. January - April 69 (Rome). $400 4/1/01.