Lot 40
Claudius (AD 41-54) AR Denarius, Lugdunum, AD 46-47, 3.62g.
Auction: 23 November 2026, 10:30 GMT
Description
TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P VI IMP XI, laureate bust of Claudius right. Rev. Triumphal arch inscribed ‘DE BRITANN’, topped with equestrian statue and trophies. (RIC 34). Extremely Fine. A well-centred and struck example of this most collectable of Roman coins with British interest.
Probably the most famous coin type of Claudius’ reign, this silver denarius depicts a triumphal arch celebrating the invasion of Britain. Struck in the years after the invasion of AD 43, this silver denarius would likely have circulated among the very soldiers responsible for fighting in the campaign – a reminder of the emperor’s gratitude towards them. It would also have served to broadcast the emperor’s conquest to the wider Roman world – proclaiming Claudius as the powerful conqueror of Britannia.
