Any Carausius specialists?

I've decided to kick start a collection of British mint coins, and my first few will be 'arriving' via the jolly, fat man on the 25th. In reality, however, my first one arrived today and was swiftly whisked away by the missus!




A radiate of Carausius, IMP CARAVSIUS P F AVG (possibly just AV) / MONETA AVG, no mintmark, holding scales and cornucopia, 3.3g, around 23mm.

Before buying it, I had noted the dotted curved line to the right and just under the chin of Carausius, and had through it was possibly a trace of a previous failed strike wildly off centre. When briefly in my hand, however, I noticed a few lines and a pattern within the lines which makes me think it may be a shield. Further to that, There's something going on to the left of the bust as well, under the muck.

I've looked in all the spots that I could think of, and found no description of this obverse with a Moneta reverse other than this example I found in the British Museum Collection:

https://research.britishmuseum.org/...x?assetId=662851001&objectId=3053748&partId=1

This shows a more full bust, shield in the left hand and a spear in the right. The flan of my coin is more oval than round, and the missing I from IMP could indicate that a portion of the bottom of the design is missing on my coin.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

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If you’re a fan of Carausius and British mint coins, please take a look at Mauseus’ gallery at FAC.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=11521

He also have a web page : http://www.forumancientcoins.com/lateromancoinage/carausius/intro.html

 

It is a great looking coin. A lot of character.

 

Cracking coin.

 

Nice coin. Here is my only (Humble) Carausius. By the way did the word "carousing" begin with this guy?

Carausius, A.D. 286-293

AE antoninianus, 23mm 3.6 grams

Uncertain mint

Obverse: IMP CARAVSIVS AVG; Radiate, draped and cuirassed but right

Reverse: PAX AVG; Pax standing left holding branch and scepter

Reference: RIC Vb p. 535-538 for all Pax varieties of Carausius

 

With the sway on your Pax, I'd say she's doing a little carousing herself haha. Nice coins, and thanks for the links @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

 

Good timing, just took a pic of a Carausius Ae yesterday. I liked it because of the clear design which is not all that common on his coins.

Rev: PAX AVGGG; Pax standing left, S-P to either side, MLXXI in exergue (Londinium mint)

 

Interesting coin, with no specialist expertise, your description seems right to me - obverse with shield like the BM coin. I think your right and arm with spear is a bit off flan. Here's my Carausius:

Carausius, Romano-British Emperor, AD 286-293. Antoninianus, London mint.
Obv: IMP C CARAVSIVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and scepter

No Moneta with your obverse in "The Roman Coinage of Britain", Gilbert Askew, Seaby's Numismatic Publications, 1951. (admittedly there are probably more recent publications)

 

Carausius


RI Carausius 287-293 AE22 London mint PAX

 

@Sulla80 Thank you for checking that for me, I appreciate it.

 

I found this example of a similar obverse with a Pax reverse on Wildwinds (http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/carausius/t.html):

(Image: http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/carausius/RIC_0144var.jpg)

Here is the text (http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/carausius/RIC_0144var.txt):
Carausius. AE antoninianus, London mint.

IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right,
holding spear over right shoulder and shield on left arm.
PAX AVGGG, Pax standing left, holding branch and transverse
sceptre.
S-P across fields, mintmark MLXXI.

RIC 144 var (bust type); Webb -; Cohen -; Pflaum -;

Contributed by Karl Tebb, March 2015.

 

Sorry, but no. The English word "carouse" was derived in the 16th century from the German expression "gar aus trinken" which was specifically a reference to heavy drinking. The late Germanic origin makes it highly unlikely that any Latin word forms lay beneath or behind it. Then again, do we know if Carausius was a lover of the suds?

 

No specialist here either. Here's my only Carausius with a spelling error on reverse


Carausius, Antoninianus - Colchester mint ?
IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate bust right
MONITA (sic) AVG, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia
3,64 gr
Ref : RCV # 13629v, Cohen # 178 var, RIC, cf #867

Q

 

I feel your pain. I just got my first Carausius recently and after determining that it is probably Salus on the reverse I did an OCRE search - it came up with 66 Salus reverse types!! I was dismayed. And the condition of mine was so iffy I pretty much had to guess.

Yours is a lot nicer, so you will have better luck than I did, I'm sure.


Carausius Æ Antoninianus
(c. 286-287 A.D.)
Unknown British Mint
IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped bust right / SALVS AVG, Salus standing
left with patera and sceptre, feeding snake rising from altar.
RIC 983 (see note).
(2.93 grams / 21 x 17 mm)

Attribution Note:
Many Carausius types with SALVS reverse (66!); this seems to match FORVM example with "early reign 'moustache' portrait"
cf. RIC V-2 983; Webb Carausius 1102; Hunter IV 75; Cohen VII 310; Linchmere Hoard 1102 (1 spec.); King Unmarked 13; SRCV IV -, Bicester

 

CARAUSIUS (again)

What does the S-P on Reverse mean?


RI Carausius usurper in Britain CE 287–293 BI Ant 4.7g 24mm London radiate cuirassed - PAX AVG Pax stndg l branch scepter S—P RIC V 475

 

Some scholars believe it means “sacra pecunia” and others think it’s for “ securitas perpetua”.

Interesting reading : http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/pdfs/Webb_Coinage_of_Carausius.pdf

 

Good question. I have no idea. My only specimen also has it:

Billon Antoninianus
London mint
Obv: IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG
Rev: PAX AVG - Pax, standing left, holding olive branch and vertical scepter
S in left field; P in right
RIC 475
23mm, 4.3g.

I noticed, though, that all the examples posted here with S-P are attributed to the London mint.

 

I think I've reached a good stopping point in my attempt to clear up this coin, and I'm pleased with the results. Picture isn't great, but I wanted to snap a quick record of it now, and I'll get some shots in natural light in the near future.

Now the spear is clearly visible on the left shoulder and I've confirmed that there were are no mint marks in exergue or around the figure of Moneta, so as far as I am able to establish this is a unique coin, the example in the British Museum having SP on the reverse.

It's unfortunate that the reverse is low relief, but I'm of the personal opinion that I would rather see what the coin shows rather than what is highlighted by soil, and I feel more secure knowing that there isn't anything unpleasant going on underneath a thicker layer of soil.

 

These are better.