CLAUDIUS GOLD QUINARIUS
Quinarius circa 41-42, 3.96 g. TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P Laureate head r. Rev. Victory flying l., holding shield inscribed OB/CI in her l. hand. RIC -. BMC -. C -. CBN -. Vagi 585.
An apparently unique and unlisted issue of an exceedingly rare denomination.
Among the consistent rarities of Roman Imperial coinage is the quinarius, be it gold, silver or billon. The denomination originated early in the Republic as half of a silver denarius, and re-emerged under Augustus as an Imperial denomination for both gold and silver, which leads some researchers to refer to them, respectively, as quinarius aureus and quinarius denarius. Gold quinarii of Augustus and Tiberius are rare, but occasionally are encountered. The same cannot be said of the remaining Julio-Claudians: quinarii of Caligula, Claudius and Nero are very rare. This particular coin seems to be unique, as other published examples - also from his accession year only - depict Victory seated or standing, accompanied with the usual inscription VICTORIA AVGVSTI. Though Augustus had struck anepigraphic gold quinarii at a Spanish mint nearly sixty years before, the flying Victory seems to have no prototype for this denomination.
Joe Geranio Photo Collection. Super Rare.