The World-Famous Roman Gold Coin That Survived Pompeii

03 Feb

The World-Famous Roman Gold Coin That Survived Pompeii

This unique specimen's exceptional combination of a rare pedigree from Ancient Rome’s most famous natural disaster and being one of the most significant items in the British numismatic series commemorating the conquest of Britain by Emperor Claudius is breathtakingly unheard of.

Claudius. 46-47 AD. DE BRITANN (The Britons Defeated) Aureus. Obv. TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P VI IMP XI, Laureate head facing right. Rev. DE BRITANN on architrave of triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue l., between two trophies. RIC 33. From the Boscoréale Treasure found in the aftermath of the August 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius (Pompeii).

43 AD: Claudius receives the surrender of eleven kings of the Britons, an act that symbolically marked the Roman conquest and occupation of Britain.

46-47 AD: A commemorative aureus, known as the DE BRITANN type, was issued depicting the planned Arch of Claudius (dedicated in 51 AD) in celebration of Rome’s triumph in Britain.

79 AD: Volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed Pompeii. A countryside residence, Villa della Pisanella, in the nearby district of Boscoreale, was also buried in the eruption.

April 1895: Vincenzo De Prisco excavates the Villa della Pisanella, uncovering what became known as the Boscoreale Treasure. The discovery included hundreds of Roman aurei spanning from the late Republic to the early Empire, including the present coin. The extreme heat, volcanic gases, and prolonged burial conditions resulting from one of the most famous catastrophes of the ancient world produced a distinctive reddish-orange surface discolouration on surviving Roman gold coins, a phenomenon known as Boscoreale toning.

c.1895: The Boscoreale treasure was sold in Paris, where it was primarily split between the Louvre Museum and the Rothschild family, as well as other notable associates such as Canessa.

Pre-27 April 1918: Sir Samuel Boulton, 1st Baronet of Copped Hall. Vice chairman of the London Chamber of Commerce. In the decades before his death, he bought from many numismatic firms, including Martinetti (November 1907); Sir John Evans (May 1909); W C Hazlitt (July 1909); and private transactions from H. Hoffman (1891) and E J Seltman (1894-1920).

April 1918-June 1935: Sir Harold Boulton, 2nd Baronet. Composer of The Skye Boat Song. Inherited this coin by a line of descent of the Boulton estate.

June 1935 - 1942: Sir Denis Boulton, 3rd Baronet and Honorary Equerry to Her Royal Highness Princess Louise. Survivor of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania (Cabin A8, Ticket 20609) on 7 May 1915. Inherited this coin by a line of descent of the Boulton estate.

Spring 1942: Spink & Son. Purchased the collection of "SSB" (Sir Samuel Boulton) from Denis Boulton.

8 April 1942: Spink & Son. Private Treaty Sale to "White Rose" for £12

April 2023: Spink & Son "White Rose" Collection, sold for £18,000 to Aventine Numismatics, global bidding representative for an English collector.

16th April 2023: “Roman coin plucked from the ashes of Pompeii eruption sells at auction for £18,000” - London World

18th April 2023: “Gold Roman coin found near Pompeii fetches eye-opening amount at auction” - Fox News

23rd April 2023: “Claudius Gold Aurius Found Near Pompeii” - The E-Sylum

January 2026: Aventine Coins & Bullion. Private Treaty Purchase from an English collector.

Summer 2026: Aventine Coins & Bullion. Private Treaty for “JL”, a collector of coin and banknote rarities in New Zealand.

April 2026: Exhibition of the Pompeii De Britann Aureus at ANE 2026 in New Zealand