Claudius. A.D. 41-54. AR fourrée denarius. 19 mm. British imitation of Rome Mint. A.D. 49-50. His laureate head right; TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P VII IMP P P / S P Q R / P • P / OB C S in three lines within oak wreath. Cf. RIC I 49. North Suffolk (Coin Hoards from Roman Britain, Volume X) 77. In NGC encapsulation graded Choice AU; nicely toned; surface almost entirely intact; reverse struck off center. Photographed through plastic. (The dark areas at 2 obv and 10 rev are simply shadows cast by the slab.) A choice and beautiful example of an ancient fourrée and an important and difficult type to represent. Choice portrait. Very Rare.

This silver-plated denarius was probably struck at an unofficial mint in Britannia following the invasion of Claudius in A.D. 43, to fill the need of thousands of Roman soldiers for coinage. Though not officially sanctioned, the practice was probably tolerated. In 1996 a hoard of 110 plated denarii of this type was found in Waveny, Suffolk. A similar piece with the same NGC slab grade but estimated at $4,000-UP was offered by Goldbergs on June 6, 2017 (Auction 98:2232) and in The New York Sale (XLII:440) on January 9, 2018, estimated at $2,500.