Claudius I: his earliest obverse legend on bronze coins. 40-as

Claudius I: his earliest obverse legend on bronze coins; 41-54 AD, Rome, early 41 AD, As, 8.96g. Von Kaenel-p. 25, BM-154. Obv: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG IMP TR POT Head bare l. Rx: S - C across field, Minerva advancing r. brandishing spear and holding shield. Ex Curtis L. Clay Collection. This is only the third known bronze coin of Claudius that omits the title Pontifex Maximus from his legend; all three specimens come from the same middle-bronze obverse die, which was coupled with two different reverse dies of the Minerva advancing type. It seems clear that this must have been the earliest obverse legend on Claudius' bronze coins, struck for only a short time soon after his accession, possibly because the assembly that elected him Pontifex Maximus met slightly later than the assemblies that approved his other titles. In Curtis Clay's opinion von Kaenel was mistaken to raise doubts about the authenticity of this rare issue (p. 25).. VF