POLL: Which Claudius II floats your boat?

When the Finn Johannessen Collection of Claudius II was sold last year by CNG, I took the opportunity to purchase a few group lots that looked interesting and affordable to me. While pulling out some of the coins from these lots to photograph recently, it occurred to me that they'd make for an interesting CT poll.

I'm showing four coins in total, all Claudius II antoniniani, each very different from the others, but all IMHO worthy of collecting for reasons that I'll mention below along with pics of the coins. The poll is easy - no right or wrong answer, simply choose your favorite - but what I think may be interesting to see is how the votes get split at the end of the day.

Beyond choosing your favorite, please feel free to reply to this thread sharing the reason for your choice, and if you'd like to, rank all four coins from your favorite to your least.


Coin #1: Rome mint / Annona reverse. Published in The Celator vol. 16, no 10 (Oct 2002).

Perfectly centered on a round flan, with just a bit of striking weakness. A very common but more than respectable example of a Rome mint product of the time. As a bonus, this coin was illustrated in an article written by the collector, Finn Johannessen, in The Celator in 2002.


Coin #2: Smyrna mint / Mercury reverse. Extremely Rare, one of two known.

Not just a rare variety, but an actual rare type. The combination of PROVIDENTIA AVG and Mercury only ever occurred at Smyrna, itself a rare mint for Claudius II. In the new RIC V/I online database, only two specimens are recorded (including this one). As a basis of comparison, the same database records more than five hundred examples of Coin #1 above. On the other hand, can numismatic significance trump appearance? Just based on looks, I'd have to admit that this coin clearly belongs in the junk bin.


Coin #3: Rome mint / Pax reverse. High grade, for a Claudius II.

This one has a straight forward appeal for me - best strike, highest grade. It's a good-looking coin, even sans patina and on a slightly compact flan (we are talking about Claudius II coins, afterall).


Coin #4: Siscia mint / Pax reverse. Dramatic obverse double strike.

Kevin in quality control strikes again! Off-center on both sides, worn reverse die, somewhat irregular flan, and a ridiculous obverse double strike... but that double strike, it's so ridiculous that it's good!


Poll on! And apologies in advance for the lack of a bacon option .

 

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Nice one zumbly, four Claudius II all different in their own wright. But although not my collecting field I would jump at the chance to have a coin as rare as coin 2 with only one other sighted, as for the rest I can't go past the quality of coin 3 with coin 1 third as still of great quality. Congratulations on a great set of coins and a very interesting thread.

 

Really, I liked them all, but that double strike got my vote - the juxtaposition of the two heads is really freaky. I don't have many Claudius II's, but I always liked all those types. Here is one with Juno on the reverse - usually found on coins of the Imperial empresses:





Claudius II Gothicus
268-270 AD
Antioch Mint
IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate bust right / IVNO REGINA, Juno standing left holding patera & sceptre, peacock at feet, B in exergue.
RIC 212, Cohen 133

 

Why choose? Part of the appeal of Claudius II is that he offers so many coins that you may not have seen often or ever and so little competition from those who can not tolerate the problems shown on even the finest of your four. I don't collect many of his coins because they so often violate my personal aversion to reverses with someone just standing there. My personal best has two someones (Diana and Apollo) standing there.

You'd think #4 would be the rare one but Kevin in QC was a very productive fellow. Mine is a Pax, too.

 

Voted for coin 4 but like number 3 also , as you say a high quality Claudius II.
coin 1 for third place.

Some still look like silver coins, although the silver contence was around 5% at the time.

Here's a Claudius II Spes :

 

At first I chose #3 because the high quality is unusual for Claudius II and the coin has a lot of eye appeal. Looking through the choices again, I changed it to #4 because a double strike resulting in a mutant face is just so hard to resist

 

We're always faced with the decision of having to choose on what coin to spend our coin budget, holding off on buying another available coin, knowing that we may pass over one that ends up going to another collection, sometimes to our eternal regret. I suspect even a Claudius II specialist has to make choices at times .

It's fun knowing that some collectors share our preferences, and others have their own very different ideas about what makes an appealing coin. Just for the record, I like all four coins, but do have a favorite .

 

I also have a problem demonstrated by Claudius II coins. I like the style of some mints much better than others. I like the reverses used or some other features of other mints better. I like the fact that some mints/series regularly come in better condition but I do not approve of collecting only coins that come in high grade and denying the existence of the sloppy mints. Someone needs to love coin #2 or there will only be one specimen. Is it FDC? Maybe the type will cease to exist because no one wants ugly coins. I hope we don't come to that.
Each coin below has something I like and something I might prefer improved. It is the hobby as I know it.

Portrait

Young Hercules?

different/better style reverse

Consecratio with Gothico obverse

 

I LOVE multi strikes. Making it Hard to pick against #4. Claudius Pez-dispenserius!

Here's my fav Claude Goth...

 

Definitely a good thing we can all easily own more than one coin of Claudius II. Those are all great (though #1 is my favourite ).

 

Owning one of only two known? Amazing... it's #2 for me.

I don't own any of his coins yet... soooon.

 

#2 and #4. Yeah, I know about choices, but all rules can be changed.

#2 Because of its uniqueness. I like the eclectic and the rare. Why be the same?

#4 Cool. See #2.

My Claudii II's:


RI Claudius II 268-270 CE BI Ant Neptune Stndg dolphin trident


RI Claudius II 268-270 BI Ant Fortuna

 

idk Z..they're all keepers.. but that double strike is a good'un!..here's one o me Claud Goti, (not my best pic) 268 Rome mint Claudius Gothicus antoninianus Liberalitas standing left holding counting board(10 coins on it) and cornucopiae RIC 57

 

I picked number 3 as I am a sucker for quality coins (most of the time) over rarity. Here's mine, small flan but decent portrait. Plus, the reverse figure is detailed and well-struck.

 

I picked 3, but only going off of which I find most visually appealing.

 

My scarcest Claudius II:


Claudius II, AD 268-270.
Roman silvered billon antoninianus, 3.66 g, 19.1 mm.
Siscia, issue 1, AD 268.
Obv: IMP CLAVDIVS CAES AVG, Bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from rear.
Rev: RESTITVTOR ORBIS, emperor in military dress standing l., holding patera over small altar in r. hand and spear pointing down in l. hand.
Refs: RIC 189; MER/RIC temp no. 562; Cohen 247; Markl, Num Zeitschr v. 16, p. 427; Alfoldi 1936, 1.2.

 

IMO you should keep 3 & 4. Of course, you should let me know if you get tired of either one.

 

In order: 4, 2, 3, 1. (If I didn't already have some CII, 3 might beat out 2 by a smidgen.) Nothing novel about my reasons, they're well described by others. That double is hauntingly wonderful!!

 

I voted for #3. I think to care about rarities, you have to know what you're looking at. I don't. At least not for Claudius II. So absent that knowledge, I'm not going to care about a rare reverse. I do know, however, that Claudius II coins are typically pretty ugly. So a nice example like #3, with details of hair and beard, catches my eye.

I guess it all goes back to a question @Valentinian posted a while back--how much do you value a rarity, especially if not many people are aware it's a rarity?

Take a look at this coin. Apparently the seller believes a pellet in the right reverse field turns a $100 coin into a $1000 coin. Not for me it doesn't.

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ro...rded_pellet_very_rare_ef/1001354/Default.aspx

 

Ah, all in the eye of the beholder and all that! Actually, there are some issues of Claudius that are amazingly attractive with very lifelike portraits. One can find beauty just about anywhere I suppose.

I also fall into the 'who cares' category. With ancients there are many vary rare and unpublished coins. But... many people can be quite passionate about rarity. I cant tell you how many times I have shaken my head in wonder when viewing auction results (or fixed prices) for some coins. In other cases I snapped up what I considered amazing bargains as nobody else saw what I found interesting or attractive about a coin. Its just all in our personal tendencies.