Obverse: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP
P P; Bust of the Emperor Facing Left
Reverse: LIBERTAS AVGVSTA; Libertas Standing
Facing Forward, Holding Pileus and Extending His
Left Hand Outwards
Claudius was the youngest son of Nero Claudius
Drusus, the brother of Germanicus. Either he
was born with, or acquired early on in life, a
major deformity that left him with mildly
handicapped, including a noticeable speech
impediment. Because of this, he was generally
hidden from public view. However, after the
assassination of Caligula, he was seized from the
palace by the Praetorian Guards. Although he
feared for his life, instead of being executed,
Claudius was lofted upon the soldiers’ shoulders
and declared him to be emperor, the only
surviving relative of Germanicus. While he was
ridiculed by the Roman populace, Claudius
earned their respect after personally leading the
conquest of Britain. He was a competent
administrator who also reformed the courts. In
the end, it would be his choice of women that
would lead to his downfall. His first wife,
Messalina, was executed after she married one of
her lovers while still Empress. His next wife,
Agrippina Jr. (Caligula’s sister) was an ambitious
woman who was much despised by conservative
Romans for personally participating in the affairs
of the Senate. She also postured her own son,
Nero, as the heir to the throne and it is believed
she poisoned Claudius on October 13th, 54 A.D.
to finalize the succession.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the
coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before us, or
where the coin will venture to after it leaves our
hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of
the state that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary currencies or
artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This
stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise
of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail
that is often lacking in contemporary machine-
made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial
an emperor’s reign passed from the hands of
civilization to civilization, from generation to
generation that still appears as vibrant today as
the day it was struck.
- (C.4042)
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