Here is my “other” Claudius RIC I, No. 112 Sestertius in fairly heavy patina: RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 112, 50-54AD, (36mm, 28.2gm) Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath Inscription in four lines: EX SC P P OB CIVES SERVATOS (within wreath)
I like a nice even patina, but not when it obscures the coin's devices PHILIP II AE17 OBVERSE: Apollo facing right with tania binding hair REVERSE: Youth naked on horseback - Filippos (in Greek) above, symbol -bucranium (skull of an ox) - underneath. Struck at Macedonia 359-336 BC 6g, 17mm SNG ANS #850-851; Le Rider #24; Sear 6698v; Bellinger 20
It's an attractive patina and looks believable in terms of being original rather than recreated. The color does seem to be what is called a Tiber patina. It does not look stripped and repatinated to me (<-- a non-expert )
I was raised in the theory that the word patina is reserved for a thicker surface color that is rooted into the coin in such a way that removing it would destroy the surface. That theory held the term Tiber Patina to be inappropriate and more like 'river toned' or 'water coin'. Similarly Sand Patinas are not patinas but 'soil impacted'. Such terminology differences come from us learning the hobby through different sources that were opinionated beyond any scientific level. I am wholly unsure how you tell a real Tiber tone coin from a cleaned and in process of retoning coin. I do like having a certain number of yellow brass coins that are still yellow (however they got that way). For the record, I do not collect 12 Caesars --- some have collected me. Claudius sestertius Nero dupondius Vespasian dupondius Titus sestertius Domitian dupondius Did any of these coins do time in the Tiber or other water? I can not say.
Thank you Clavdivs - very nice of you to say that. It looks to me that someone tried to “enhance” the surface by attempting to clean it - before I purchased it. If so, thank goodness they did very little. Added via Edit - here is the coin Claudius was referencing: RIC Vol. I, NERO, As, Lugdunum, No. 543 (AD 66) Obverse: Nero, bare headed facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P MAX TRP P P Reverse: Winged Victory, walking left, holding shield inscribed SPQR Inscription: S -------- C (left and right)