Ave!

Claudius I, Sestertius, Spes reverse

Æ; 32mm/16.1gm    Rome mint, ca. 41-42 AD

Con/ Well-centered with full legends, eye-pleasing green and brown patina. Good Fine and better in hand.

Obv/ TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP; laureate head right.

Rev/ SPES AVGVSTA; Spes advancing left, holding flower and raising hem of skirt.

Ref/ RIC Vol I 99

Seller's Note/ Spes was the Roman personification of hope; more particularly, the expectation of imminent good. Always a republican at heart, Claudius struck this issue to assure the citizens that after the years of misrule by Caligula, better times were ahead.