Watch List notes:

The Roman Empire
Claudius, 41 – 54

Aureus 49-50, AV 7.80 g. TI CLAVD CAESAR·AVG P·M·TR·P·VIIII IMP·XVI Laureate head r. Rev. S P Q R / P P / OB CS within oak wreath. C 88. BMC 54. RIC 48. CBN –. Calicó 381.
A bold portrait and a lovely reddish tone, an absolutely insignificant nick
at six o'clock on obverse, otherwise extremely fine

Purchased from CNG at the CICF in 2001.

This is an example of the idealistic style portrait of Claudius. MSG.

Perhaps no one was more deserving than Claudius of the OB CIVIS SERVATOS (an award for saving the life of a fellow Roman) bestowed upon him by the Roman senate. This legend, or its variation appears on the coinage of Claudius soon after ascending to the throne. It is significant because of a mere chance occurrence when Caligula was killed by the praetorian commander and several senators.

These men, like the conspirators who had slain Julius Caesar some 85 years before, had a clear plan for killing the emperor. What both had failed to do was have a plan in place for a new government and leader once the execution had occurred. It was by chance that the praetorian guard stumbled upon a cowering Claudius said to have been in hiding behind the palace drapery. The guard quickly declared in favour of Claudius and averted what surely would have been a lethal power struggle for control of Rome. Claudius pardoned most of the assassins and order was restored to the principate. So the OB CIVIS SERVATOS could have been related to the pardons but it surely was true of the many lives which had been saved by averting what could have been another civil war in order to define the new ruler of the empire. MSG.