Claudius II BI Tetradrachm AD 268-270 Ch VF

The tetradrachm was a large silver coin, named because it was equivalent to four drachmae.  Originally from ancient Greece, this type of coin was adopted by other nations and states including the Roman Empire and Egypt.  The large surface area allowed rulers and governments to convey political messages and advertise themselves.  This tetradrachm was minted during Claudius II's reign.

Marcus Aurelius Claudius, better known as Claudius II or Claudius Gothicus, was born in 214 AD.  He was a successful officer in the army under Gallienus, the emperor before him.  When Gallienus was killed in 268, Claudius’s troops proclaimed him emperor.  He inherited an empire besieged by invaders and disunity, during the heart of the Crisis of the Third Century.  The biggest threat was a Gothic invasion in the Balkans, which Claudius quickly addressed.  His defeat of a vast Gothic army at the Battle of Naissus earned him the surname “Gothicus,” meaning conqueror of the Goths, and made him a hero in Roman oral history.  He endeavored to reunify the empire, regions of which had split into the Gallic and Palmyrene Empires, but was unable to do so before he died of plague in 270.  He was immediately deified by the Roman Senate.  In the 4th century, decades after his death, a few allegations were made as to his family and ancestry.  One was that he was an illegitimate son of Gordian II, and another was that he was related to Constantius I and therefore part of the Constantinian Dynasty.  However, many historians doubt the validity of these claims.

This coin was graded Ch VF (choice very fine) by the Numismatic Grading Company, the official grading service of the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild.  Here is a list of grades used by the NGC, as well as information about Strike, Surface, and Style ratings.

Obverse: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Reverse: Nike advancing right, holding wreath and palm frond over left shoulder; L A (date)

Reference: Köln 3022; Dattari (Savio) 5400; K&G 104.10; RPC X Online 75591; Emmett 3889.1