Antoninianus - Claudius II Barbarous radiate

Barbarous radiates flooded northwestern Europe in the years following Claudius II's death in 270, produced by unofficial workshops — likely operating near Roman military zones in Gaul and Britain — to fill a vacuum left by collapsing central mint output. The prototypes they copied were often already degraded, which explains the cumulative stylistic drift seen across the series. This piece, at under 2 grams, sits at the lighter end of the weight range, consistent with later, more debased imitations rather than the earliest copies closest to official prototypes.