Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ As (25mm, 12.66 g, 6h). Restitution issue. Rome mint. Struck under Titus, AD 80-81. Near EF.

CNG Feature Auction 133
Lot: 544. Estimated: $ 500

Roman Imperial, Bronze, Coin-in-Hand Video

Sold For $ 3 750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ As (25mm, 12.66 g, 6h). Restitution issue. Rome mint. Struck under Titus, AD 80-81. Bare head of Claudius left / Minerva advancing right, brandishing spear and shield. RIC II.1 489; Komnick Type 59.0. Attractive green surfaces. Near EF.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group 51 (15 September 1999), lot 1213.

The primary purpose of restored coins was to provide substitutes in circulation for coin types that had become familiar, but that the emperor was calling in, melting down, and restriking, because the originals were worn out and sometimes also because they contained more precious metal than current coins, so the emperor could make a profit. When selecting the types for the restored coins, however, a secondary purpose kicked in: to present a full picture of earlier Roman coinage, and to honor worthy earlier emperors, even if the earlier coins in question were not actually being called in and restruck, either because they were so old that they were no longer in circulation, or because they were so recent that they were still in excellent condition and contained no more bullion than the mint's current production. This explains why Titus' restored bronzes included coins for Galba, whose original bronzes were also only a dozen years old.

As Mattingly wrote regarding Titus' selection of emperors for restoration: "The list of persons whose coins were to be restored was evidently drawn up with deliberate care. Tiberius, Claudius, and Galba were included, Caligula, Nero, Otho, and Vitellius omitted. The list is something like a roll of honour of the early Empire, preserving all memories that deserved to be remembered" (BMC II, p. lxxviii).



The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 133 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 15-16 September 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 133 – Session Two – Lot 309-594 will be held Tuesday morning, 15 September 2026 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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