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| Classical Numismatic Group > Mail Bid Sale 58 | Auction date: 19 September 2001 |
| Lot number: 1109 | |
| Lot description: Estimate $12500 BRITANNICUS, son of Claudius and Messalina. Died 55 AD. Æ Sestertius (17.97 gm). Struck under Titus, circa 80 AD. Uncertain eastern provincial mint. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG F BRITANNICVS, bareheaded and draped bust left / S-C across field, Mars advancing left, holding spear and shield. RIC I pg. 130, note; BMCRE 226 (Claudius) and 306 (Titus, same dies?); H.-M. von Kaenel, "Britannicus, Agrippina Minor und Nero in Thrakien," SNR 63 (1984), type B, 6 variety; Cohen 2. Fine, choice green patina. Extremely rare! ($12,500) For another specimen from the same dies see CNG Sale 40 (4 December 1996), lot 1383. Britannicus was the son of the emperor Claudius and Messalina and was born about 41 or 42 AD. He was originally named Germanicus, but was renamed Britannicus in honor of his father's successful British invasion of 43. In 55, while dining with friends, he was poisoned and died. The murder was almost certainly ordered by Nero, who wanted to eliminate a potential rival claimant to the throne. The traditional dating of the coins of Britannicus to the end of Claudius' reign circa 54 (a period when the mint at Rome was not producing any aes coinage) has been challenged by recent scholarship. As postulated in BMCRE II, pg. lxxviii, the revised dating to the reign of Titus circa 80 is much more likely. As a youth, the future emperor Titus was Britannicus' closest friend, and he was even present at Britannicus' last dinner and was seriously affected by the same poison that killed his friend. Just as Titus issued 'restitution' coins honoring members of the imperial line, it is natural that he would also have issued coins honoring Britannicus, who missed the honors, including coinage, that were his due. |  |
