Quinarius Aureus - Claudius VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victoria

The quinarius aureus — struck at half the weight of a standard aureus — was never a common denomination under any emperor, and Claudius used it sparingly in his early reign. This issue almost certainly relates to the celebrations following the acclamation of Claudius by the Praetorian Guard in January 41 AD, an event so politically awkward — a reluctant emperor discovered hiding behind a curtain — that the new regime had particular incentive to project military confidence through its coinage. The Guard expected reward; the imagery of Victoria was as much a political payment as the donatives themselves.

RIC I#18 is genuinely scarce in any condition. The denomination saw little revival after the Julio-Claudian period.