Copper As of Claudius RIC 100

Claudius
Copper As (29mm 11.18g) Struck AD 41-50

Obv: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP Barehead left

Rev: S C Minerva advancing left, brandishing spear and holding a sheild

VM-17 RIC 100 Sear 1861
Uncleaned Coin Find

This coin is a copper as (a standard everyday coin in ancient Rome) minted during the reign of the Emperor Claudius.

To understand why this coin looks the way it does, we have to look at the massive drama happening in Rome when it was made!

1. The Accidental Emperor

The front (obverse) shows the bare head of Claudius. Before becoming emperor in AD 41, nobody took Claudius seriously. He had a limp, a stutter, and his own family kept him hidden away because they thought he was embarrassing.

But then, his nephew—the wildly unpopular and chaotic Emperor Caligula—was assassinated by his own guards. The guards were running through the palace, found Claudius hiding behind a curtain, and instead of killing him, they declared him the new Emperor!

Because he came to power through a bloody coup and had zero military experience, Claudius used coins like this as a PR campaign to show the public that he was a strong, legitimate leader.

2. Minerva: The Ultimate Symbol of Strategy

The back (reverse) features Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, charging forward with a shield and a spear.

Choosing Minerva was a brilliant political move by Claudius:

• Personal Favorite: Minerva was Claudius's favorite deity. By putting her on the money, he was telling Rome, "The goddess of wisdom is personally looking out for me."
• Military Street Cred: Claudius needed to prove he could handle the army. During the time this coin was minted, he launched the famous Roman invasion of Britain (AD 43). Minerva represented the smart, calculated military might he wanted to project.

3. Playing Nice with the Senate

If you look closely at the back, you will see two large letters: S C. This stands for Senatus Consulto, which means "By Decree of the Senate."

While the Emperor had absolute power over gold and silver coins, copper and bronze coins traditionally required the Senate's approval. By prominently featuring "S C," Claudius was extending an olive branch to the Roman Senate, trying to show them respect after his predecessor, Caligula, spent years terrorizing them.