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Auction: 3014 - Ancient, English & Foreign Coins & Commemorative Medals
Lot: 214

Carausius (A.D. 287-293), AR Denarius, London, 3.48g., laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, IMP CARAVSIVS PF[--], rev. VIRTV-S AV, bull standing right, M[L] in exergue, (RIC -; Shiel -; Webb -), metal-flaw on obverse, corroded surfaces, fair to fine, unique Estimate £ 100-150 This coin is so far unique and belongs to a very rare silver issue of Carausius with the London mint-mark ML. Shiel lists only three such 'denarii' as known of by him: one of these has a VIRTVS IN AVG reverse with the emperor standing right holding a globe and spear, and another has the legend LEG VII CL with a bull standing right. This new piece looks like a hybrid of the two types with VIRTVS AV around a bull standing right. The issue of silver coinage of near 90% purity by Carausius belongs to the period 286-87 at the beginning of his reign and ended with the introduction of exergual mint-marks at the London and C mints and large-scale minting of aureliani with a deliberately-added fraction of silver. Most of Carausius's silver coinage is either marked with the abbreviated propaganda slogan RSR (Redeunt Saturnia Regna) or is unmarked: just a few coins were minted late enough to have the new ML and C mint-marks.

Sold for
£500