Ancient: Carausius

Latest addition is a Carausius I have had for awhile now. I got mainly for the the portrait and full legends on the obverse. Price was right up my ally with him too, compared to what he is normally priced at for nastier ones. Reverse is rough but still identifiable, I only cared about the obverse anyways.


Carausius (287 - 293 A.D.)
ÆAntoninianus
O: IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive-branch and sceptre; S in left field; P in right field.
Camulodunum(?) Mint
4.53g
23mm
RIC 475

 

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Nice pickup! I always like Carausius because on some of his coins he has the most ridiculous bear and the next time it has some of the most stunning artistry such as the triple bust coin.

Minor detail change though for when you enter it into your records. I think it is IMP C CARAVSIVS instead of IMP CARAVSIVS

 

Your right, though some dont have that C.

Thanks.

 

I'm always on the lookout for Carausius and Allectus in affordable coins. The obverse IS what makes this coin, I only have one Carausius:

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

 

Nice one!

 

Nice addition! Looks a bit more sturdy than mine. Not sure if mine could handle cleaning they crust off.

 

Great Caurausius's everyone! I still need this guy.

 

... me too

Congrats, Mat

 

Thanks.

Forgot you had that coin, Randy.

 

but yours does.....

 

If you want a budget carausius, when you see a group lot of Uk detecting finds in UK ebay sales, quite often you'll spot a Carausius or two in the group. I spotted a group of 30 coins for sale last year with 3, yes 3 carausius in there and guess what.......a grotty Allectus, which is cleaning up well as we speak. Just learn the bust and look beyond the group and study each coin quickly, you'll be suprised how little detectorists in the UK know about their Roman coin finds. Some just dont like them and just want to find the silver medieval coins instead.

 

Whats a put off is the exchange rate. UK pound is brutal to the dollar. I was gonna bid on an empress I needed but the last day it climbed beyond even retail due to the exchange rate.

 

The exchange rate and most often the shipping rates as well.

 

True, $10-$15 for 1 coin is insane. But 1 dealer I buy from regularly charges $3 from UK.

 

Yes, I buy from a UK dealer that will generally charge only $5 (3 GBP) for shipping unless the coin is expensive. Then the price of shipping goes up as it should. But there are many UK sellers charging $10-$20 for shipping a single coin no matter the price. Now that is insane.

 

Thats ok if the dealer and you have an agreement, but with ebay rulkes being what they are the seller always loses if a coin goes astray (or if the buyer says it has) so until ebay say that postage is buyers risk if they pay for standard it just has to be signed for which is about $13. I'd send em all for £3 if ebay rules werent so unfair.
Collector in the US called Victor pays standard and I send him coins, at his risk.....they have always arrived.

 

That is the same agreement I have with my dealer in the UK.

 

My international issues have always been buys from germany, never fails so no matter the coin & how much I want it, I avoid if its from germany.

Its mostly NY customs w/german packages, not the german post.

 

The thing that continues to pleasantly surprise me is that they are still finding Carausius coins in British hoards today.

Not too long time ago, I wrote review about the Frome Hoard of 2010. Here's an excerpt:

Here's an interesting video on coins, including the Carausius ones, from the Frome Hoard:



And here's my Carausius (not from the Frome Hoard)




Thank you for presenting your coin,


guy

 

Yeah, Frome Hoard was famous.

A common emperor & it sucks that him being so famous in Europe causes the higher prices.