...... an update: General Notes: 1. There were numerous imitations of Roman aes coins, some of poor quality but also some of reasonably good quality, produced in Britain using spurious dies following the conquest and occupation by Claudius. 2. In order to help relieve pervasive coin shortages, quantities of reasonably well made imitative coins were occasionally accepted by Roman officials for circulation. 3. Many coins were countermarked to indicate their official status and in some instances to denote re-valuation of coinage denomination. 4. The consistent characteristic of these imitative coins is their very low weight compared to official issue coins. Less copper/bronze used in producing the planchets equaled greater profit for the faker. IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS CONSTANTIA AS (18mm, 5.0gm) Typical crude imitative Claudian coin produced in Britain of much reduced weight. Minerva and Libertas reverse Claudius asses were also widely copied with varying degrees of skill. IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS SPES SESTERTIUS WITH DEVALUATION COUNTERMARK Pangeri 85d, (30mm, 15.2gm) Countermarked DV (denoting half value) on obverse. This is a devaluation countermark indicating this coin is re-valued as a Dupondius (half value) due to its very low weight. Note edge chisel mark on the obverse at approx. 3 o'clock which is always present on DV countermarked coins. IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS OB CIVES SERVATOS SESTERTIUS WITH COUNTERMARK BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 120, 41-45AD (38mm, 26.4 gm) Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP Countermarked PROB ***** Mattingly note: countermark in oblong incuse in front of neck and face; end of legend obliterated Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath Inscription in four lines: EX SC O B C I V E S SERVATOS (within Civic Oak Wreath) PROB (Probatum = approved) countermark. I believe this to be an irregular issue coin (struck from locally made unofficial dies). Note the flattened and bulged area on the reverse resulting from the very heavily struck countermark on the obverse which was carelessly positioned almost off the flan. The inscriptional lettering on the reverse is somewhat uneven and not very well formed.
ANOTHER IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS SPES SESTERTIUS WITH DEVALUATION COUNTERMARK Pangeri 85d, (29mm, 14.6gm) Countermarked DV (denoting half value) on obverse Enlargement of DV countermark:
