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Gold Coins of Roman British Usurper Found
 | By Richard Giedroyc, World Coin News
June 05, 2008 |
The number of known gold coins of would-be Roman Emperor Carausius recently increased from 23 to 25 specimens.
The two newly uncovered examples depict Carausius, who helped himself to Roman Britain as his own private fiefdom in 286 A.D.
There is excitement among museum curators, collectors and the machinery sales manager who found the two coins in a field near Ashbourne, Derbys, but the real story is the proof that once again Britain's Treasure Trove laws work, while demands in other countries that all antiquities and coins found in the ground are cultural patrimony and therefore must be turned over to the government without any reimbursement possibility to the finder simply drive the finds underground.
Derrick Fretwell doesn't know just how much he will receive for the find, which has been declared treasure trove, but the bottom line is that he will receive something for his efforts as well as for his honesty. A coroner ruled the coins treasure trove, that is, that the coins were lost and cannot be traced to a rightful owner. A treasure committee, separate from the coroner's office, will determine the value for the purpose of paying Fretwell.
Fretwell was quoted in the March 18 Telegraph newspaper as saying, "I'll be intrigued to find out what they are worth, although to me their worth is their rarity value."
Sam Moorhead is an expert on Roman antiquities at the British Museum in London. Moorhead said, "Gold coins of Carausius are extremely rare, with only 23 in existence until now. Ethically, I am not allowed to put a valuation on them - but I reckon they are priceless."
There are a number of countries that have in recent years been trying to repatriate antiques including ancient coins allegedly with ties to their nation from museums and private collectors in other countries, using the argument the coins and antiquities are their cultural patrimony. In the case of Turkey coins that have been forcibly repatriated have in most instances been put into storage where they are unavailable for study by anyone. There has been at least one instance in Turkey publicized in recent years where some of the repatriated coins later resurfaced in the market, having been clandestinely resold illegally by museum employees.
Turkey is one of many countries in which all finds must be turned over to the government, with no re-imbursement or reward to be expected in return. This has often encouraged smuggling for this reason.
Information was not immediately available regarding the reverse subject on the two gold coins of Carausius, or if the coins have been successfully die linked to other known specimens. The Seaby book on ancient Roman coins identifies a gold aureus with reverse of Hercules standing right leaning on a club while holding a bow, while both the Vagi and Van Meter books identify a single reverse on which a she-wolf suckles twin human boys. Carausius controlled mints at London, Colchester and Rouen.
M. Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius was a Roman general during the reign of the Emperor Maximianus. Carausius was appointed fleet commander for ships at Gesoriacum (modern Boulogne, France), where he received orders to clear the sea of Frank and Saxon pirates. Carausius himself turned to piracy, sailing to Roman Britain to avoid the wrath of the emperor. Once in Britain Carausius conquered the province in AD 287. He later conquered part of Gaul as well.
Roman Emperor Constantius captured Gesoriacum or Boulogne in AD 293. Soon afterwards Carausius was murdered by his own chief minister, Allectus.
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