London - PAX AVG - Carausius

Carausius (286/7 - 293)

Obv.: IMP CARAVSIVS PF AVG

Rev.: PAX AVG

Weight: 4.09 g.

RIC 886

Good very fine condition, with smooth surfaces and a chocolate brown patina, but somewhat off-center.

Coins with the PAX AVG reverse usually show the mintmark SC or C or Colchester or ML for London, which were the two main mints in England. There are also many coins without mintmarks. Many of these coins are imitations of more or less good style.

However, C. E King, "The Unmarked Coins of Carausius", BNJ, London 1985, pp. 1-9 (with four plates) and A. Burnett and J. Casey "A Carausian Hoard from Croydon, Surrey, and a note on Carausius's Continental possessions", BNJ. London 1985, pp. 10-20 (with four plates) have isolated several official examples of the PAX AVG type without being able to attribute them to a particular workshop. One possibility is that these coins were produced in Gaulish mints under Carausius' control, such as Rouen.

Collection : Carausius & Allectus