Just recently I had posted what turned out to be a fairly rare Claudius Denarius. I ended up parting with the coin for a much more significant sum than I had paid for it. And not to soon after parting with it I ended up buying this Cistophoric Tetradrachm. I admit I like this Tetradrachm more than the denarius, mainly because the portrait looks like Claudius & not Caligula. Besides, who doesn't like bigger silver? Claudius (41 - 54 A.D.) AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm O: TI CLAVD CAES · AVG, bare head left. R: COM ASI across field, distyle temple of Roma and Augustus, enclosing standing facing figures of Claudius, holding scepter, being crowned by Fortuna, holding cornucopia; ROM ET AVG on entablature. Ephesus mint. Struck AD 41-42 10.08g 28mm RIC I 120 (Pergamum); RPC I 2221; RSC 3; BMCRE 228; BN 304-6
@Mat A wonderful coin my friend. Who doesn’t love a big chunk of 1st century silver? An enviable addition to your collection
That IS a great portrait, @Mat. Weirdly, it reminds me a lot of Trajan. I’m a fan of temple anything too so the reverse is also appealing.
Excellent add! Claudius cistophorii are IMO, the most beautiful of his coinage and certainly look the most like his surviving statues. Also a recent purchase, probably my only big buy this year Still only cost about 1/3 as much as a denarius in comparable condition and fine style!
My Claudius has these cool haunting eyes. Yes, it's probably bronze disease but I sort of like the creepiness of that empty soul.
