Claudius, Sestertius, 50-54
Rome - Bronze - VF(30-35) - RIC:114
Sold
Head of Claudius, laureate, right.
Triumphal arch surmounted by an equestrian statue, right, between two trophies; cuirassed horseman brandishing spear with right hand.
This sesterce, although very rare, has been significantly re-engraved and re-interpreted. The portrait of Claudius in particular has been largely reworked, resulting in the loss of many of the emperor's facial traits. On the reverse, the design has also been reinterpreted: the medallions above the lateral archways are square and identical, whereas the original dies depict a round medallion on the left and an object on the right. The central entablature has been redesigned, with the simpulum above the arch replaced by a circle. Finally, the equestrian statue and trophies have also been redesigned. The horseman was looking towards the viewer, not to the right; the trophy on the left was made of a third oval shield rather than a round shield, and the oval shields at the top of each one had a clearly visible umbo. Although this sestertius was re-engraved, we find several examples with very similar engravings, showing that this was not an isolated production but rather that some coins, probably too damaged by concretions, were reworked (by the same engraver or workshop?) in order to restore their attractive appearance. This was an old practice, which could date back to at least the 19th century, when collectors were looking for eye-pleasing examples, and this practice therefore met that need. RIC I² Claudius 114.
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P
NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMAN IMP
24.34 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.
