Which Claudius would you keep?

I like them both, I need a new Claudius but it will be a while before I add any new coins to my collection.
I did sell all of my moderns to help fund this move I'm undertaking.
@Sallent let me know which you decide to part with, who knows.
My only Claudius which I happen to love this coin. I've shared it in the past.

Claudius. AD 41-54.
Æ20, 5.5g, 12h; Uncertain Caesarea, Syria?
Obv.: KΛAYΔIOC KAICAP; Laureate head of Claudius right.
Rev.: ETOrYC KAICAPEΩΝ Γ; Turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche right.
Reference: RPC I 4084; SNG Copenhagen 177 (Caesarea in Cappadocia).
Ex JAZ

 

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I agree and did not know it was for a specific set on a budget. #2 it is.

 

I'll chime in and agree that the portrait on #2 makes it the winner.

 

Darn...I can't believe I missed that at auction. Such a stunning coin of Claudius. Doesn't even look like him at all...but better, which means the celator did a fantastic job at imperial propaganda. Seriously nice, Smojo. Well done.

 

I agree

 

1

 

Nero and Galba asses for under $800 can be decent coins - better than either of the Claudius options shown. Given that you would be selling two coins to buy one, I see it as possible while respecting the limit.

~$80 each from Frank Robinson (OK, Frank was younger then)


I don't have a nice, Rome mint Claudius as. This one was $32 and Frank was even younger then. I overpaid then but for a long time it was my only Claudius. I keep telling you: You should have started earlier.


This one is Western and Rome is better for the purpose. $80 but not Robinson and not all that long ago (only 10 years).

 

Thanks for the tip, @dougsmit , however, I think I will keep #2. If Galba and Nero come under budget, I think I'd rather use the difference to try to upgrade my Tiberius...at least get a better centered reverse or something.



Only then would I consider updating my newest Claudius...if money allowed (I admit at that point the deals on Nero and Galba have to be real good to still have any money left out of that $3000 to play with for a Claudius upgrade after that Tiberius upgrade).

 

#2 is nicer imo.

 

@Sallent ... welcome back, and nice to see some activity from you. I am of the camp that keep both, or sell both to get one you really like. However, I understand your strategy from a Seutonius 12 Set, so I feel #2 is more attractive to me.


RI Claudius 41-54 Ae As 28mm LIBERTAS AVGVSTA S-C RIC 100

 

If you are going to keep one of the coins, I would suggest keeping #2.

I suspect that the first coin has been somewhat tooled along Claudius' profile on the obverse:



The sharpness of this area is much higher than the rest of Claudius' bust, which by itself is suspicious, and the nose's profile doesn't look like most other examples of this type that I've seen.

The second coin doesn't appear to have any obvious tooling, so for me that would be the better choice.

 

I'm probably going to have to mix Imperial Issues with Provincial in order to complete my set of the 12 dudes, just added that Alexandrian tet of Titus. So far I have Domitian, Augustus, and Titus. Long way to go...

 

I think that's just the picture making it seem so, but in person it looks like an imperfection of the flan that happens to be located by the nose area. Either way, the celator did not render the most realistic portrait of Claudius