Coin Information: Tantalus S/N 24846
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Image Rights: Copyrighted by User = Free to Reproduce with Copyright Holder Acknowledgement
Image Rights: Copyrighted by User = Free to Reproduce with Copyright Holder Acknowledgement
| This item has been viewed 657 times. | |||||
| Coin type: | Roman Imperial | ||||
| Entered by: | rasiel (Seller rating: 5.0 out of 5, based on 16 buyer responses) | ||||
| Added on: | Apr 24, 2007 | ||||
| Ruler: | Carausius (Augustus) | ||||
| Coin: | AE Antoninianus IMPCCARAVSIVSPFAVG - Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right. PAXAVG - Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter. | ||||
| Exergue: |
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| Mint: | Londinium (286-293) | ||||
| Wt./Size/Axis: | 3.58g / - / - | ||||
| References: |
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| Acquisition/Sale: | vcoins.com 4/17/07 | ||||
| For Sale: | This coin is for sale. ($85.00) About this seller | ||||
| Notes: | Sep 3, 07 - During the 200's AD it was fashionable to play your hand at being emperor by proclaiming sovereignty over your slice of turf and the men under your command. Usually, almost always actually, that would result in a well-equipped detachment from Rome coming over to kick your ass and take you (maybe just your head) back to Rome to parade around.
Carausius was one such entrepeneur emperor, a former British maritime merchant who was hired by the Roman military for his naval skills to put down some revolts along the British coastline. He succeeded but apparently considered his compensation inadequate and made a lucrative side business out of skimming some of the booty for himself. When word of this no-no reached those same officers who hired him a warrant for his arrest was issued. Luckily for him he found out just in time to sail away in a hurry. He settled back on the British side where somehow he commandeered the various military outposts in Roman hands with a probable mixture of bribery and violence. His coup was successful and he found his makeshift navy capable for the moment to stem any mainland expeditions to bring him to justice. Meanwhile he frantically sought diplomatic recognition from Diocletian and Maximian, the emperors whom he'd stolen Britain from, but nothing came of his entreaties other than their promise that they would come after him in due time. He wound up murdered by one of his own cronies, Allectus, who figured, you know, live by the sword die by the sword buddy and then took over. Carausius was a truly prolific issuer of coins for the handful of years he held on to power. The U.K. with its generous metal detecting laws affords hobbyists a reasonable chance of finding a few of these currency remnants nowadays and many offload their finds on eBay. This is actually my fourth Carausius. I can't remember my first but my second was a really nice one from CNG which sadly had to be sold in order to finance the Priscus Attalus. The third was its replacement, a $20 hole filler (now archived) and now this one which is almost decent. | ||||
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