Claudius, Dupondius, 41-50
Uncertain mint - Celtic imitation? - Bronze - VF(30-35)
Head of Claudius, bare, left.
Minerva, helmeted and draped, advancing right, levelling javelin in right hand and shield in left
Very subtle Celtic imitation. Claude's facial traits are slightly Celtic, with a pointy nose, whereas on official strikes it is more rounded and hooked. The Minerva on the reverse is also reminiscent of Gallic coins, particularly the head, but also the spear. The other parts of the body are almost identical to the official type. A very important detail is hidden in the legend on the obverse: the ‘CAESAR’ of the official coins has been replaced by a ‘CAR’. No sales history seems to mention such a detail, so it would appear that this imitation coinage is new to sales. A few sales records of coins in the type of Emperor Claudius show that imitations with Celtic features did exist, but they were not widespread and few examples have survived, which may be linked to limited strikes and/or recasting by the authorities at the time.
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP
S C
8.31 gr
Bronze
Bronze (not to be confused with brass, although usage of the two terms varied in times of yore) is an extremely ancient alloy with origins going back to the period around 2,000 BC. Also known...wait for it...as the Bronze Age (who would have guessed?). Back in ancient times, a proportion of 10% tin was added to copper. It was used in particular for luxurious objects such as swords, helmets, hairpins, and even chariot ornaments.
That is by no means insignificant though, as when putting on a bronze helmet you would already find yourself with an extra 3 kilos or so on your head. Add to that your sword and armor…let’s see you advance quickly now!
The heavyweight of alloys one might say*.
The first Western bronze coins probably date back to the end of the 4th century BC and Greece.
Although the coins may be ancient, it is more difficult to date the appearance of a specific word for this alloy. The earliest record is a Venetian manuscript in Greek dating from the 11th century, but it is not impossible that it was in use earlier.
Nowadays, the bronze used in coinage is an alloy of copper (majority) and tin (minority) along with other metals such as zinc, for example, which improves the castability, or nickel, which produces a harder alloy. Its main qualities are undeniably its great resistance to corrosion and mechanical wear as well as...its aesthetic aspect.
The patina of bronze can vary, ranging from verdigris to brown through to black.
*Actually, puns aside, copper and cupronickel have a greater density, for example.
