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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Cicero12, post: 4940770, member: 114838&quot;]<img src="https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/i/Cicero1212/Claudius_edited(1).jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>RIC I 25 (Rome); von Kaenel Type 21, 302 (V331/R336); Lyon 40 (unlisted dies); Calicó 361b; BMCRE 23 (Rome); BN 43-4; Biaggi 206</p><p><br /></p><p>For my first thread, I thought I would post an image of my example of my favorite type.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Praetorian Guard appointed Claudius emperor after his nephew Gaius’ assassination.&nbsp; Claudius was supposedly found cowering behind a curtain in the imperial palace and, after being found by the Praetorians, was removed to the Praetorian Camp (which is depicted on the reverse of this aureus). This version of events was popularized in the novel and miniseries, <i>I, Claudius</i>.&nbsp; Claudius would remain under the “protection” of the Praetorian Guard for some time, though it is unknown whether he was their guest, or their prisoner. Upon his release and subsequent assumption of the role of <i>princeps</i>, Claudius proved to be a shrewd politician and an efficient ruler. After guaranteeing his safety with the payment of a generous donative, Claudius would go on to improve the imperial bureaucracy and expand the Empire (the first such expansion since Augustus). His was a notably long and peaceful reign.</p><p><br /></p><p>This aureus was likely issued as part of a donative to the Praetorian Guard, and serves to commemorate the events of his ascension.&nbsp; Eventually, I would love to pair the piece with a Praetor Recept of Claudius, though those are somewhat harder to find in higher grades.</p><p><br /></p><p>I purchased this piece at Triton in 2019, although I had been searching for an example for significantly longer.&nbsp; While I purchased it with only a 2007 pedigree, I have since had some luck tracing it back to Munz. Basel 8, 1937, lot 575 (where it was purchased by Cahn).&nbsp; The angle the image was taken at in 1937 is slightly different, but the marks help identify this piece.&nbsp; At that point, I realized there was a cataloguing error and the dies are in fact cited in Von Kaenel, though they are not illustrated.&nbsp; That yielded an additional provenance: Gerhard Hirsch 3 (April 1956), lot 224.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/i/Cicero1212/IMG_3340_(1).PNG" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>I would love to see everyone else&#039;s Imper Recept and/or Praetor Recept issues!&nbsp; Please post them here![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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