ANCIENT - Carausius Antoninianus

My First Purchase Yesterday!

Carausius was a Gallo-British usurper for 13 years from 280-293 AD.




Carausius AE Antoninianus.
London
IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG
Radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right
F-O across fields. (I believe)
Mintmark ML. (I believe)
Diameter: 24mm (dies made for 22mm)

Then Either:


PAX AVG
Pax standing left, holding branch and sceptre.
287-293 AD.
RIC V-2, London 98; cf Sear 3562.


or


PAX AVG
Pax standing left, holding branch & transverse sceptre
289-290 AD.
RIC 121v



My first Carausius, Antoninianus and Usurper!

 

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Love it. Carausius coins are not easy to come by, especially with decent reverses. Your coin has a nice reverse.

 

It's a lot better in hand...

This is just a scan...

I'll take pictures soon..

 

I can't see these photos like the other post you made. Sometimes my browser has difficulty displaying Photobucket uploads lately because of the new format they're using.

 

I uploaded it to CoinTalk itself...

Hmm...


I may have fixed it now.

 

I can see the coin now.

 

That's a mature choice for a YN - a coin that has far more historical importance than eye-appeal, (although I do like the look of the piece). I was recently educated by Doug on the significance of the issues of Carausius, issues that could be considered altogether barbarous on account of the fact that he was never recognized as Augustus outside of Britain.

 

Need him myself, congrats.

 

It's a lot worse due to the scan, but I bought it due to the History (I love history... which is the main reason I collect Ancient Coins!)

Except for a small area in Gaul, according to the dealer I bought it from, where he was recognized as Augustus.

 

Indeed, Rotomagus on the continent and Londinium are his only two confirmed mints. The 'C' mint is probably Camolodunum, but there is still some debate. You have yourself an enviable coin there. I would love to collect and study this series. I've decided that there are collectors and detectorists in Britain who are much better placed than I to make new discoveries and develop new theories on his coinage, so I pass and stick to my lead.

Btw, a transverse scepter is held diagonally. That should answer your attribution question, but I again advise you to refer to Helvetica's spreadsheets rather than only Wildwinds.

 

I'll add a coin of mine to this thread, only because Constantius Chlorus was sent to dispatch Carausius. He never got the chance, as Caruasius's own treasurer assassinated him.




Incidentally, I've read about the Frome hoard - do you know if your coin came from it?

 

I believe the entire Frome hoard is in a museum...

And I don't know the provenance of my coin besides:

An English find

That makes sense

I'll edit the above

I noted that Helvetica's spreadsheets didn't have the F-O combination, so I went to Wildwinds

 

You know what I find curiously odd about Carausius issues is just how barbarous they can look. The London issues of Maximian adhere strictly to high Roman minting standards, but when Carausius takes over, the devices become amateurish, struck off-center on sloppy flans. Why is that? Does it reflect a disapproval of the usurper on the part of the mints? Or were they instructed to veer away from traditional aesthetics? Or were the prior minters fired and replaced with lesser talent?

 

To my knowledge, the Issues of Maximian were stuck later, as the London Mint only opened up after London separated in 286 AD.

 

That would explain it then. Once the London mint comes under official Roman authority, they're required to live up to Roman standards.

 

This is my sole Carausius coin, highlighted by the extended neck:

Carausius Antoninianus
OBV: IMP C CARAVSIVS PF I AVG, draped, cuirassed, and radiate bust r
REV: PAX AVG, Pax stg. l. holding olive branch & vertical scepter, S P in l. & r. fields
Struck at Camulodunum, 390-393
3.58 grams; 23.8 mm
RIC 482

 

How do you discern the mint on that coin, Bing? I don't see a mark.

 

RIC suggests that the really bad coins of Carausius were from the first part of the reign with improvement coming later (perhaps 290?) when the AVGGG series is found along with most of the C mint coins. For purpose of study, we probably should not ignore ugly coins since they may be all there is of their types. I have a few that are pretty rugged but I'm keeping them in the hope of learning more about the series someday. I would hope the Frome hoard will lead to enlightenment. Since so much of what we now know about Carausius has come from coins, that would seem a reasonable expectation given time.

 

Because there is no mintmark. With this legend, the field marks(S -P) and no mintmark, from what I know and can tell, it has to be Camulodunum. Take a look on Helvitica's lists

 

Romano-British history at its best. Here's mine:



This one isn't mine, but....



I love the AVGGG on the reverse of these two coins (representing three Augustii). It reflects Carausius's futile attempt to join the recognized two augustii already in power.


guy