londinium London Mint Coins - Let's Complete the Set

[John Conduitt]

London Coins Posted So Far

(73 of 889 in RIC plus 6 variants not in RIC)

CARAUSIUS (5 of 185)

Moneta: RIC V, 91

Pax: RIC V, 99; RIC V, 110; RIC V, 185; RIC V, 475

Other reverses: Jupiter; Hercules; Salus; Adventus; Neptune; Virtus; Four Ensigns; Minerva; Victory; Clasped Hands; Concordia; Felicitas; Sol; Fides; Fortuna; Trophy; Hilaritas; Laetitia; Ram; Capricorn; Female Centaur; Male Centaur; Boar; Bull; Lion; Youthful Head; Mars; Soldier; Pietas; Providentia; Saeculi Felicitas; Aesculapius; Securitas

DIOCLETIAN (1 of 14 struck by Carausius)

Pax: RIC V, 9; (2nd example); (3rd example)

Other reverses: Hercules; Laetitia; Providentia; Salus; Mars; Trophy

MAXIMIAN I (2 of 8 struck by Carausius)

Hilaritas: RIC V, 33

Pax: RIC V, 34; (2nd example)

Other reverses: Providentia; Salus; Mars

ALLECTUS (1 of 59)

Galley: RIC V, 55 (2nd example)

Other reverses: Adventus; Minerva; Victory; Sol; Pax; Salus; Spes; Mars; Virtus; Aequitas; Felicitas; Fortuna; Hilaritas; Jupiter; Laetitia; Lion; Moneta; Pietas; Providentia; Moneta; Saeculi Felicitas; Hercules; Trophy

DIOCLETIAN (3 of 17)

Genius: RIC VI, 6a; RIC VI, 28

Providentia: RIC IV, 77a

Other reverses: Quies

MAXIMIAN I (3 of 18 First Reign)

Genius: RIC VI, 1b; RIC VI, 1b var; RIC VI, 25

Providentia: RIC VI, 77b

MAXIMIAN I (3 of 6 Second Reign)

Genius: RIC VI, 85; RIC VI, 90 (below)

Mars: RIC VI, 96

Other reverses: Hercules; Roma

GALERIUS (4 of 11 as Caesar)

Genius: RIC VI, 15; RIC VI, 33; (2nd example); RIC VI, 34; RIC VI, 36

GALERIUS (3 of 12 as Augustus)

Genius: RIC VI, 42; RIC VI, 50; RIC VI, 52b

CONSTANTIUS I (5 of 11 as Caesar)

Genius: RIC VI, 4a; RIC VI, 14a; (2nd example); RIC VI, 22; RIC VI, 37a

Divo: RIC VI, 110

CONSTANTIUS I (1 of 9 as Augustus)

Genius: RIC VI, 52a

SEVERUS II (1 of 8 as Caesar)

Genius: RIC VI, 59a

SEVERUS II (0 of 3 as Augustus)

-

CONSTANTINE I (1 of 15 as Caesar)

Genius: RIC VI, 66; (2nd example)

Other reverses: Adventus; Mars; Principi; Roma

CONSTANTINE I (20 of 344 as Augustus)

Genius: RIC VI, 103

Adventus: RIC VI, 137 var; RIC VI, 139; RIC VI, 140

Sol: RIC VI, 120; RIC VI, 122 var; RIC VI, 169; RIC VI, 234; RIC VI, 280; RIC VI, 281; RIC VII, 76; RIC VII, 102; RIC VII, 126 var

Two Captives: RIC VII, 191; (2nd example)

Concordia: RIC VI, 203

Principi: RIC VI, 215; RIC VI, 228; RIC VI, 264; RIC VII, 132 var

Mars: RIC VI, 253

Beata Tranquillitas: RIC VI, 269, RIC VI, 271 var

Roma: RIC VI, 273

Sarmatia Devicta: RIC VII, 290

Campgate: RIC VII, 294

Other reverses: Spes; Securitas; Two Victories

HELENA (1 of 1)

Securitas: RIC VII, 299

FAUSTA (1 of 1)

Salus: RIC VI, 300

MAXIMINUS II (2 of 16 as Caesar)

Genius: RIC VI, 59b; RIC VI, 63b

MAXIMINUS II (1 of 9 as Augustus)

Genius: RIC VI, 209b

Other reverses: Sol

LICINIUS I (2 of 32)

Genius: RIC VII, 3; RIC VII, 209c

Other reverses: Sol; Securitas

CRISPUS (8 of 67)

Two Captives: RIC VII, 188

Campgate: RIC VII, 295

Caesarum Nostrorum: RIC VII, 291

Beata Tranquillitas: RIC VII, 212, RIC VII, 250, RIC VII, 275, RIC VII, 278, RIC VII, 279

Other reverses: Sol; Principi; Two Victories

CONSTANTINE II (2 of 38)

Beata Tranquillitas: RIC VII, 257; RIC VII, 288

Other reverses: Sol; Principi; Two Victories; Two Captives; Campgate; Caesarum Nostrorum

CONSTANTIUS II (2 of 2)

Campgate: RIC VII,297; RIC VII, 298

MAGNUS MAXIMUS (1 of 4)

Two Emperors: RIC IX, 2b

Other reverses: Victory; Restitutor Reipublicae; Vot V

Apologies if any are incorrectly attributed.

 

London is my nearest city, although I wouldn't say I live there. But I'm a Freeman of the City and I feel further connected to it through my coin collection, which focuses on London (and Londinium). These coins come from the birth of the city - it was founded by the Romans 2000 years ago, with the mint operating from Carausius's reign c286 to 325, and then again in 383 under Magnus Maximus.

I just acquired another London Mint coin, to add to my growing pile. I now have each emperor, but not all as Augustus if they were Augustus (Severus II) and not all the empresses (Helena, please stand up!). I'm sure many here could help me out by adding a few to this post 😉

My collection of reverses is also far more limited than was actually the case, although good old Genius has done me well (he is, after all, a guardian angel). A lot of the reverses seem quite hard to come by, but perhaps they're not. Maybe you have some less common ones (i.e. not Genius and anything from Carausius that isn't Pax). But Genius is good too - I have 14 of him just from the London Mint!

Maximian I Follis, 307 (Second Reign)

London. Bronze, 25mm, 7.28g. Laureate and cuirassed bust right; DN MAXIMIANO PFS AVG. Genius standing left, turret on head, holding patera and cornucopia; GENIO POP ROM; PLN in exergue (RIC VI, 90).

I already have a few of Maximian, but the reason I got this one is simply because it's from his second reign and I had none of those. Genius is turreted too, which makes a change from the modius (You know you're obsessive when...)

Please post your London Mint coins!

Thank you

Edited April 22, 2023 by John Conduitt

[John Conduitt]

This is a Carausius coin (and features Pax, of course), but is of Diocletian.

Diocletian Antoninianus (struck under Carausius), 287-293

Londinium. Bronze, 4.34g. Radiate and draped bust right; IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG. Pax standing left holding olive-branch and transverse sceptre; PAX AVGGG (3 Gs for Carausius, Diocletian and Maximian); S - P in fields; mintmark MLXXI in exergue (RIC V, 9).

 

[Prieure de Sion]

Nice Porträt, I like it.

[CPK]

[cwart]

How about a Galerius campgate from the Londinium mint?

 

RIC VI Londininium 36

 

Turns out I don't have a pic of the coin at the moment...  KInda weird.  I'll need to rephotograph and repost it.

Edited June 15, 2022 by cwart

[Alegandron]

RI Constantine I AVG Follis Votive XX seated captives 2.69g 18mm RIC VII 191 London

[Alegandron]

CARAUSIUS


RI Carausius usurper in Britain CE 287–293 BI Ant 4.7g 24mm London radiate cuirassed - PAX AVG Pax stndg l branch scepter S—P RIC V 475



RI Carausius 287-293 AE22 London mint PAX

[Alegandron]

RI 
Allectus 293-296 
AE Quinarius
London mint
Virtus Galley 
AE17 2.3g 
Sear 13870 RIC 55

[Severus Alexander]

I would sure like to see your pile of London coins, I bet it's pretty impressive!! 👍  I just have a few but I've tried to pick interesting ones:

Carausius Pax with ML and no letters in the field:

^ quite early? @John Conduitt what's the earliest Carausius London issue?  I've never looked into it...

Here's my unique LON follis of Maximian, which has its own number in the next edition of LMCC (Cloke & Toone) :

^ it's the covered loins that makes this one different.  Hugh Cloke told me it's likely one of the very earliest, before the design had been standardized.  Also note the retrograde "N".

Constantine's first issue, not long after he was proclaimed Augustus by the troops in York, but given the "NOB C" legend, clearly issued during or after the process which resulted in the compromise title of Caesar:

Constantine Adventus, when recruiting troops in Britain:

^ scarcer variety of obverse legend, I think... though it's tough to read.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Severus Alexander

[ValiantKnight]

Crispus, Roman Empire
AE follis
Obv: FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, campgate, 6 layers, 2 turrets, star above, no doors
Mint: London; Mintmark PLON (in ex.)
Ref: RIC VII 295

[Severus Alexander]

35 minutes ago, cwart said:

How about a Galerius campgate from the Londinium mint?

 

RIC VI Londininium 36

I think you inadvertently posted the wrong coin, @cwart... this one's Crispus from Thessalonica. 🤭

Edited June 15, 2022 by Severus Alexander

[Al Kowsky]

43 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

This is a Carausius coin (and features Pax, of course), but is of Diocletian.

Diocletian Antoninianus (struck under Carausius), 287-293

Londinium. Bronze, 4.34g. Radiate and draped bust right; IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG. Pax standing left holding olive-branch and transverse sceptre; PAX AVGGG (3 Gs for Carausius, Diocletian and Maximian); S - P in fields; mintmark MLXXI in exergue (RIC V, 9).

 

John, Those are two great pick-ups, congrats ☺️! I find the Diocletian radiate especially interesting; Carausius was sending a not too subtle message with that coin 🤣. Pictured below are some of my London issues.

Diocletian, circa AD 303-305, London Mint. Billon Nummus: 10.17 gm, 28 mm, 6 h. CT 3.01.005; RIC 28a. Rare.

 

 

Galerius as Caesar, AD 303-305, London Mint. Billon Nummus: 10.46 gm, 29 mm, 6 h. CT 3.01.031; RIC 33.

 

 

Constantine I, Circa AD 310, London Mint. Billon Nummus: 6.57 gm, 28 mm, 8 h. CT 5.04.003. 

 

 

 

 

[cwart]

43 minutes ago, Severus Alexander said:

I think you inadvertently posted the wrong coin, @cwart... this one's Crispus from Thessalonica. 🤭

Ruh Roh....  thats an issue.  That means the database is off.  Now I've got some homework to do.  I didn't feel like that was the right coin, but didn't check it like my gut told me to...

 

UPDATE...  No pic of the coin in my files, looks like there is even more homework for me.... on my way back to school.

 

UPDATE 2...  I found the pics, just transposed the pics of the 4th and 5th coins in the collection.  Without further ado AND without further emabarassment here they are. 

 

Genius coin of Galerius...  I seem to remember some question of my attribution of the emperor from the old site, if I am wrong on it let me know and I'll head out and see what I can find on it. 🙂  Also I am noticing some green on the reverse, bronze disease or benign?

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by cwart

[Harry G]

Here's my rare ADVENTVS follis of Constantine, with the bust left holding spear and shield!

[maridvnvm]

Constantius I Chlorus 

Obv:– FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, Laureate, cuirassed bust left
Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chalmys over left shoulder, right holding patera
Minted in London (No marks). c. A.D. 300 onwards
Ref:– RIC VI London 14a (R)

10.34 gms. 180 degrees. 28.72 mm

 

[Ursus]

10 hours ago, cwart said:

Also I am noticing some green on the reverse, bronze disease or benign?

It looks benign to me in your pictures. As long as green encrustations are hard and not powder-ish, I wouldn't worry too much about them.

Here are some of my London coins:

Constantine the Great, Roman Empire, AE2, 312–313 AD, London mint. Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol, radiate, chlamys draped across r. shoulder, standing l., raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand; in field l., star; in exergue, PLN. 23mm, 2.77g. Ref: RIC VI Londinium 280.

Constantine the Great, Roman Empire, AE2, 316 AD, London mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS P AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol standing l., radiate, chlamys draped across r. shoulder, raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand; in fields, S–P; in exergue, MSL. 20.5mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC VII Londinium 76.

Licinius I, Roman Empire, AE2, 313–314 AD, London mint. Obv: IMP LICINIVS PF AVG; bust of Licinius I, laureate, cuirassed, r. Rev: GENIO POP ROM; Genius standing l., holding patera in r. hand, cornucopia in l.; in fields, S-F; in exergue, PLN. 21mm, 3.04g. Ref: RIC VII Londinium 3.

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 322–323 AD, Londinium mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN N C, bust of Constantine II, radiate, cuirassed, l. Rev: BEAT TRANQLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT/IS/XX; above, three stars; in fields, F-B; in exergue, PLON. 19mm, 3.22g. Ref: RIC VII Londinium 257.

[maridvnvm]

Maximinus II Daia

Obv:- MAXIMINVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GENIO POPVLI ROMANI,
Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London
Reference: RIC VI 59b, LMCC 4.03.024
Weight: 9.9g
Diameter: 28.2mm

Part of a pot hoard found in Rauceby, UK in 2017. The hoard given the reference 2017 T649 by the British Museum who catalogued the hoard.

This coin given the hoard reference BM#092

Obv:– MAXIMINVS NOBILIS C, Laureate and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London, A.D. 305-306.
Reference(s) – RIC VI London 63b var (Bust type, 63b is draped and cuirassed)

[John Conduitt]

Some really great coins here @CPK@Alegandron@ValiantKnight@Al Kowsky@Harry G@Ursus@cwart, thank you. Some beautiful and rare coins too.

@cwart I've done that a few times 😂 It is Galerius (with a NOB CAES legend and a straight nose).

I have a Constantius I from Trier from the Rauceby Hoard, @maridvnvm. It seems to have produced some beautiful coins like yours (nice to see NOBILISSIMVS in full).

18 hours ago, Severus Alexander said:

 I just have a few but I've tried to pick interesting ones

what's the earliest Carausius London issue? 

Those are interesting alright. Each has something special about it.

The aureus was Carausius's earliest, I think. Many of his early bronzes are overstrikes or verge on being barbarous (if not actually barbarous), since his new mints had no experienced staff. So no-one's entirely sure which were minted in London or whether they were official. Like this one, which I just bought from Mr Dorney.

Carausius Antoninianus, 286-293

London(?) Bronze, 19mm, 2.32g. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Carausius right; CARAVSIUS AVG. Pax standing left holding branch and sceptre; PAX AVG (blundered) (cf RIC 878-91).

Edited June 15, 2022 by John Conduitt

[Fabius]

Some great London coins so far! So many types here that I don't have - I would particular like to own an ADVENTVS AVG like the ones shown by @Severus Alexander and @Harry G and also any coin of Carausius or Allectus. So far I have not been able to find a decent one of those in my price range.
Here's a couple I don't think we've had yet. Constantine I - SARMATIA DEVICTA: 

And a Constantine I camp gate (I can only see Crispus so far in the thread):

[BBA]

Constantine I Ae Nummus : London mint, 19.9mm, 2.9gms 

Obv: CONSTANTINVS P AVG; Laureate and cuirassed bust right

Rev: CLARITAS REIPVBLICAE; Sol standing left holding globe and raising right hand, S – P across fields; PLN in exergue

Ref: RIC 102

 

[Alegandron]

I kinda like how Boudicca redecorated Roman Londinium...

😄 

BOUDICCA


Celtic Britain 
Iceni 
Boudicca 61 CE 
1.03g 
Celt Hd r 
Celtic horse galloping 
Seaby 434 Scarce

[Prieure de Sion]

Boudicca 😳 … that’s cool. Congratulations!

[Zarco]

Constantine I, 306-337 AD.
AE1, 4.52 g, 24.1 mm, 7 h.
Londinium mint, 310 AD.
Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F IN AVG; Bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, right.
Rev: SOLI INVIC-TO COMITI ; Sol, chlamys falling from left shoulder, standing left, raising right hand and holding up globe with left hand.
Refs: RIC VI Londinium 120 (correction).
According to Not in RIC webpage, "RIC lists this type with obv. legend IMP CONSTANTINVS PI IN AVG and annotation that Bastien reads this legend as IMP CONSTANTINVS P F IN AVG. Cloke-Toone agrees with Bastien and gives P F in obv. legend (6.02.009). However, on some specimens F may resemble deformed I. There is quite similar case with LONDINIUM 146b (eBay; 4.76 g, 24 mm). RIC gives obv. legend IMP MAXIMINVS P F AVG but notes also example with ...P I AVG (p. 135 and footnote 2)."
Acquired from Roma Numismatics, E-Sale 68, Lot 1222, 27 February 2020.
From the inventory of a UK dealer; Ex Bourton on the Water hoard of Constantine period Roman coins, purchased from C.J. and A.J. Dixon, 20 February 1979.

Photo from Roma Numismatics.  I'm way behind in taking photos of my coins.

 

[cwart]

13 hours ago, Ursus said:

It looks benign to me in your pictures. As long as green encrustations are hard and not powder-ish, I wouldn't worry too much about them.

 

Thanks for that description @Ursus... 🙂  I've collected ancients for a couple years now, but still have SOOOOOOOO much to learn.  Thats part of the attraction of the hobby though.

[maridvnvm]

Minted by Carausius in the names of Diocletian and Maximianus Herculius.....

Antoninianus
Obv:– IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– PAX AVGGG, Pax standing left holding olive branch and transverse sceptre
Minted in London under Carausius (S-P//MLXXI).
Reference(s) – RIC London 9

Weight 3.63g. 21.38mm. 180 degrees

Antoninianus
Obv:– IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– PAX AVGGG, Pax standing left holding olive branch and vertical sceptre
Minted in London under Carausius (S-P//MLXXI).
Reference:- RIC V London 34.

Weight 3.45g. 22.39mm. 180 degrees