I bought a rare Carausius on eBay...

Hi all!

I'm really pleased to have won this lot. All of the coins in it are in pretty poor condition, and it set me back about £20


(Seller's pics)

The one coin from the lot I wanted was a rare antoninianus of Carausius, with a left facing bust. It's worn smooth, and it's probably got bronze disease, but I'm really pleased to finally own one

Carausius Antoninianus
VIRTVS CARAVSI AVG - Radiate, cuirassed bust left holding spear and shield
PAX AVG - Pax standing left holding olive branch and sceptre
F - O // ML

Show me some of your coins of Carausius!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

How do you know it is Carausius?


My one and only Carausius

IMP CARAVSIVS PF AVG // PAX AVG
Mint: London (?)

I bought it 25 years ago for 35 Pounds at the little coin market that used to take place once a month in a greasy garage under Charing Cross Station in London.

 

You can't really consider Carausius a handsome devil.


Carausius, AD 286-293.
Roman billon antoninianus, 2.91 g, 21.2 mm, 3 h.
Aberrant issue, uncertain British mint.
Obv: IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate (draped and cuirassed?) bust, right.
Rev: PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and cornucopiae.
Refs: c.f. Blackmoor Hoard 20440-1; RIC --; RCV --.

 

Nice coin!

I know it's Carausius because I recognise the bust. The reverse is also PAX AVG, which is the most common type for Carausius, and I can see the F-O and ML mintmarks, which was used almost exclusively for Carausius

 

Understood! Do you know which mint may have produced my coin above? Is it London?

 

Yes! ML means London mint

 

But there is no ML on my coin. In fact, there is no mint mark at all on my coin.

 

Another Pax reverse. This one appears to have a relatively high silver content:

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.

 

Good eye @Harry G but I think that the bust is rather wearing imperial mantle and holding eagle-tipped sceptre than Spear and shield.

I wonder if your example is not a product of Rouen?

 

Claudius in the corner

 

CARAUSIUS


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



RI Carausius 287-293 AE22 London mint PAX

 

Are there any theories as to what the F-O stands for ?

 

CARAUSIUS
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP C CARAVSIVS PF I AVG, draped, cuirassed, and radiate bust r
REVERSE: PAX AVG, Pax stg. l. holding olive branch & vertical scepter, S P in l. & r. fields
Struck at Camulodunum 290-3 AD
3.58g, 23.8 mm
RIC 482

 

Ah, sorry. Misread your post and thought you were asking about my coin.

I'm not sure which mint made yours - maybe someone who specialises in Carausius and is more experienced than me can help lol

No idea, actually. I just tried searching it up, but couldn't find anything

 

Interesting, I'll make a note of that and will try to research this a bit more.

 

Your coin is the only one facing left. Nice

 

Here is an interesting link: http://www.kenelks.co.uk/coins/carausius/carausius.htm

 

Phew, the coin finally arrived after being lost in the post for 2 weeks (it should have arrived in 2 days), and I've got a slightly better picture of it. It shows the coin in all of it's horrible glory

Thanks! I think you're right. I can just see the tip of his sceptre

It looks better than I thought lol. I think I might keep that one too

 

It is partially identifiable and it's a very rare type so there's that.

 

fakc off ??