Carausian aurei

CARAUSIAN AUREI

The gold coins of Carausius are extremely rare with only little over a couple of dozen genuine examples being recorded. The recent appearance of a fake aureus and the discovery of two more genuine coins has persuaded me to put together this page illustrating all the examples known to me. Where weights are know for the illustrated specimen these too are noted.

Also where fakes have been encountered these too are identified and published here.

RIC	Obverse	Reverse	Photograph
1 London mint	CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	CONSERVAT AVG -/-//ML Jupiter standing left holding thunderbolt & sceptre; eagle at foot 4.31 grammes
2 London mint	CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	CONSERVATORI AVGGG -/-//ML Hercules standing right in lion's skin, holding a bow and resting on club a. 4.27 grammes b. 4.56 grammes	a. b.
- London mint	VIRTVS CARAVSI Helmeted, cuirassed bust left	ORIES AVG (sic) Sol standing left holding globe and whip; captive at feet 4.29 grammes
- London mint	VIRTVS CARAVSI Helmeted, cuirassed bust left	PAX AVG Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical sceptre 4.65 grammes
3 corr. London mint	IMP CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	PAX AVG -/-//VOT V Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical or transverse sceptre 4.14 grammes
4 corr. London mint	IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	PAX AVG -/-//MVLT X Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical sceptre 4.52 grammes
5 London mint	IMP CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, draped or draped and cuirassed bust right	PAX CARAVSI AVG Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical or transverse sceptre a. 4.33 grammes b. 4.20 grammes	a. b.
6 London mint	CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	SALVS AVGG (sic) Salus standing left feeding serpent in arms	Do not have an image of this coin, does it really exist?
- London mint	CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	SALVS AVGGG -/-//ML Salus standing right feeding serpent in arms 4.33 grammes
533 London mint	IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, draped bust right	LEG IIII FEL -/-//RSR Lion walking right with thunderbolt in mouth	Do not have an image of this coin, does it really exist?
534 London mint	VIRTVS CARAVSI Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left holding spear and shield	ROMANO RENOVA -/-//RSR She wolf standing right suckling Romulus and Remus 4.33 grammes
621 corr. Rouen mint	IMP CARAVSIVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	CONCORDIA MILITV Concordia standing left holding two standards a. 4.80 grammes b. 4.25 grammes	a. b.
622 Rouen mint	IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	CONCORDIA MILITVM Emperor standing right clasping hand of Concordia standing left	Do not have an image of this coin, does it really exist?
623 Rouen mint	IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust left in imperial mantle	CONCORDIA MILITVM Emperor standing right clasping hand of Concordia standing left a. 3.61 grammes b. 4.77 grammes	a. b.
624 corr. Rouen mint	IMP CARAVSIVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	CONCORDIA MILITVM Emperor standing right clasping hand of Concordia standing left a. 4.54 grammes b. 4.58 grammes c. 4.70 grammes d. 4.86 grammes	a. b. c. d.
- Rouen mint	IMP C CARAVSIVS AV Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	LAETITIA IVI AVG NOS C Galley right 4.61 grammes
- Rouen mint	IMP C CARAVSIVS AV Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	OPES IVI AVG Figure (Abundantia?) standing left holding bunch of grapes(?) and cornucopia 4.55 grammes
- London mint	MAXIMIANVS PF AVG Laureate bust left	COMES AVGGG -/-//ML Virtus standing right holding vertical spear and shield 5.60 grammes
three emperors 32 London mint	MAXIMIANVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	SALVS AVGGG -/-//ML Salus standing right feeding serpent in arms a. 4.31 grammes b. 4.27 grammes c. 4.35 grammes	a. b. c.
FAKES
IBSCC BOCS vol 17 (1992), no.1, fig 24a	CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, cuirassed bust right	CONSERVATORI AVGGG -/-//ML Jupiter standing left holding thunderbolt & sceptre 4.49 grammes
IBSCC BOCS vol 23 (1998), no.1/2, fig 1a	VIRTVS CARAVSI Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left	ORIES AVG (sic) Sol standing left holding globe and whip; captive at feet 4.13 grammes
IBSCC BOCS vol 17 (1992), no.1, fig 25a	IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	PAX AVG -/-//MVLT X Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical sceptre 4.53 grammes
	IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right	PAX AVG -/-//MVLT X Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical sceptre 4.49 grammes