Roman Imperial Coinage, Carausius, Denarius, ‘RSR’ mint, possibly London, c. AD 286-288, imp caravsivs p f av around laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Carausius right, rev. virtvs saec c around radiate lion advancing left, thunderbolt in mouth, mint mark rsr reversed before lion, 3.11g/4h (RIC V.5 173note, this coin; Shiel 92-93 var.). Unique and good very fine £6,000-£8,000

Detectorist find in Brewham (Somerset) [PAS DOR-0104FC]

This coin is to be included in Sam Moorhead’s new RIC volume.

The legend RSR seen on the reverse of this coin has been recognised by Guy de la Bédoyère as the initials of an extract from Virgil’s Eclogues, Redeunt Saturnia Regna (the Kingdom of Saturn returns). Similar extracts from Virgil are seen elsewhere on Carausius’ coinage, and as Graham Barker has argued, this formed part of a wider policy of imperial propaganda that through coin legends and iconography cast Carausius as a true successor August and displayed the usurper’s rule as the catalyst for another golden age.
Interestingly, rather than being within the exergue, RSR here forms part of the legend. In addition, RSR is reversed and the G after AV is missing on the obverse, which could possibly be poor work on behalf of the die sinker. This would be surprising considering that great care was given to the production of these coins.