Roman Bronze Coins

Late in the ‘Crisis of the Third Century’ Britain & Northern France did not have enough regular coinage so the locals took matters into their own hands! Recent research shows the new, superior silver coin of Aurelian were being saved and not used, so for about 11 years (A.D. 275-286) crude, bronze coins were made locally to ‘top up’ the coins in circulation. They copied old types from Gallienus, Postumus, Claudius II (to name a few) but the quality of the designs varied hugely as they were made by normal people risking death for ‘counterfeiting’. We have a group of these ‘Barbarous Radiates’ that all show a head on the obverse and different reverses, but as they are crudely made, the first to order will get the best. Add to your collection an ancient coin of the people who risked death just to help out their local area, a local coin for local people!

Romano-British Empire. Carausius. A.D. 286-293., London - A.D. 291. Æ Antoninianus. Radiate bust right / 'PROVIDENT AVG' Providentia stg. left holding globe & transverse sceptre with 'B-E' in fields & 'MLXXI' in Ex. Good Fine & Scarce.

Vabalathus. A.D. 271-272., Antioch. Billon Antonianus. 'VABALATHVS V C R IM D R' Laureate bust right / 'IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG' Radiate bust of Aurelian right. Good Very Fine & Very Scarce. Made by Zenobia to try to legitimise her regime.

Vetranio. A.D. 350. Siscia. Billon Maiorina. Laureate bust right / 'HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS' Vetranio standing left holding Chi-Rho banner & spear, being crowned by Victory on right. Extremely Fine & Scarce. A clear link to Constantine with 'under this sign you shall conqueror' in latin.