ROMAN. Carausius. Romano-British Emperor, A.D. 286-293. Bronze Antoninianus (4.56g). Londinium (London) mint. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / PAX AVGGG, Pax standing left, holding olive branch in extended right hand and transverse sceptre in left; S-P//MLXXI. RIC V 143. VF. A very attractive portrait struck on a full flan, nicely toned with some golden highlights. Carausius was the naval commander who broke away in Britain in A.D. 286 and ruled as a self-styled emperor for several years. From his mints in Britain he struck an unusually confident coinage, blending Roman imperial style with pointed propaganda aimed at legitimacy, before he was assassinated and the breakaway regime began to unravel.

Estimate: AUD 250