Carausius. Romano-British Emperor, AD 286-293. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.68 g, 6h). Uncertain mint. VF.

Triton XXVII
Lot: 892. Estimated: $ 5 000

Roman Imperial, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 8 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Carausius. Romano-British Emperor, AD 286-293. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.68 g, 6h). Uncertain mint. IMP CARAVSIVS P AV, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / ADVENTV, Carausius on horseback riding left, raising left hand and holding scepter in right, trampling captive with hands bound behind his back below; XX>. RIC V.5 211 (forthcoming); RIC V 1067 corr. (obv. legend and bust type; this coin cited); Shiel 4 (this coin cited); Cohen 3 corr. (same; this coin cited); RSC 1. Deeply toned, slight roughness. VF. Extremely rare, only two examples noted in RIC V.5.

From the Dr. Malcolm Lyne Collection. Ex Baldwin’s 99 (4 May 2016), lot 748; Richard Cyril Lockett Collection (Part I, Glendining, 6 June 1955), lot 156; Sir Arthur Evans Collection (Ars Classica XVII, 3 October 1934), lot 1837; Edward Wigan Collection († 1871), purchased en bloc by Rollin & Feuardent.

This coin appears to be the sole example cited by the old RIC V, Shiel, and Cohen and traces its origins back to the Edward Wigan Collection (died 1871). Cohen first cited this coin as the sole reference for the issue in volume VII of his work (published between 1880-1892) as from the Wigan Collection. Wigan was an avid collector and built a substantial collection upon that which he received from his uncle, acquiring the Roman gold from the Earl of Pembroke, Duke of Devonshire, Thomas Thomas, and Prosper Dupré Collections. The gold was almost entirely donated to the British Museum in 1864/5. What remained at the time of his death in 1871 was purchased by the firm Rollin & Feuardent. The British Museum, using a grant, purchased additional items in his collection from them. RIC V (1933) cites two references for the coin, Cohen 2 (an error for Cohen 3) and R. and F. (for Rollin & Feuardent). These two references are almost certainly to the same coin since Cohen simply cites Wigan. Cohen’s work was published by Rollin & Feuardent which almost certainly possessed the coin at this time having acquired the Roman silver from Wigan’s estate. These two references in RIC are evidently to the same coin but simply to different periods in its pedigree.

Norman Shiel in his 1977 catalog cites the coin as well and gives the following citations: Ex A. Evans coll, A. H. Baldwin, and COH 3 M Wigan for (Cohen 3, Mr. Wigan). The Evans reference refers to a previous pedigree cited by Glendining in the Lockett sale of 1955 (where this coin appeared). The chronology proceeds as Wigan (d. 1871), Evans (1934), and then Lockett (1955). Evidently, Evans possessed the coin sometime after R&F (not surprisingly since he wrote extensively on the coinage of Carausius). From Evans’ collection, the coin was subsequently owned by Lockett prior to its sale in 1955. The details of the Cohen/Wigan reference by Shiel have already been discussed, though the reference to A. H. Baldwin is not so clear. It is not clear when Baldwin inspected the coin or if he possessed it at some time. Ultimately, Shiel noted in 1977 that the whereabouts of the coin were at the time unknown. It eventually reappeared without the old pedigree noted in a Baldwin sale in 2016. Finally, this captivating coin with a thoroughly detailed history appears here in this sale offering a rare opportunity to acquire a fascinating denarius of Carausius.

The final winners of all Triton XXVII lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 9-10 January 2024.

Triton XXVII – Session Three – Lot 648–983 will be held Wednesday morning, 10 January 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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