A rare coin issued by a Roman emperor who reigned over Britain 1,700 years ago has sold for almost £10,000 ($14,000) at auction.
The silver Denarius coin was unearthed by 62-year-old gardener Richard Patterson in Winchester, Hampshire.
It was minted during the reign of Carausius, who is known as the 'first Brexiteer' because he won independence from Rome during the seven years he ruled Britain in the 3rd century AD.
Rare silver coin issued by rebel emperor Carausius who was the 'first Brexiteer' is sold for nearly £10,000 after being unearthed by a gardener
A 62-year-old gardener has found a rare coin from the third century AD
It was minted during the reign of Carausius, who is known as the 'first Brexiteer'
The rebel emperor won 'independence' from Rome during the seven years he ruled Britain in the 3rd century AD
By Joe Pinkstone For Mailonline
27 February 2018
A rare coin issued by a Roman emperor who reigned over Britain 1,700 years ago has sold for almost £10,000 ($14,000) at auction.
The silver Denarius coin was unearthed by 62-year-old gardener Richard Patterson in Winchester, Hampshire.
It was minted during the reign of Carausius, who is known as the 'first Brexiteer' because he won independence from Rome during the seven years he ruled Britain in the 3rd century AD.
A rare coin issued by a Roman emperor 1,700 years ago was unearthed by a metal detectorist in Winchester. It has sold for almost £10,000 ($14,000) by 62-year-old groundsman and gardener Richard Patterson. This picture shows the heads side of the ancient coin
Coins from Carausius' brief reign in Britain from 286 to 293AD are rare.
The treasure hunter, who has been metal detecting for 25 years, will split the proceeds of the sale with the landowners.
Mr Patterson said he went into shock when he realised what the coin was after digging it up in a field in Winchester.
He said: 'I usually find a load of rubbish.
'When I found this I realised that it was a silver coin but I didn't have a clue about what it is and how much it might be worth. I'm delighted.'
The silver coin depicts the head of Carausius on one side and a lion on the other.
The renegade emperor was born in what is now Belgium and rose through the ranks of the Roman navy to command a fleet tasked with eliminating pirates in the English Channel.
But when he was suspected of keeping some of the captured treasure for himself the Roman emperor Maximian ordered his execution.
The tails side of the coin depicts a lion. The heads side shows the side portrait of Roman ruler Carausius. During a brief seven-year rule over Britain after he fled Roman Europe he produced these coins which are now extremely rare and valuable
Learning of this he declared himself emperor of Britain with the support of his fleet and the locally-based Roman legions.
He defeated a Roman invasion and minted his own coins.
During his seven years leading Britain he held the Secular Games, a forerunner for the Olympic Games.
A star attraction for the sporting event were African lions he introduced to an astonished British public.
Carausius was a Roman Emperor who lived in the third century AD. Born in modern-day Belgium he left the Roman Empire and set up his own regime. He ruled over Britain and northern Gaul for seven years
The coin was found in the Hampshire town of Winchester. The 62-year-old groundsman and gardener said he went into shock when he realised what the coin was after digging it up in a field
His rule came to a bloody end when he was assassinated in 293 on the orders of his own finance minister who had been colluding with Rome all along.
Because Carausius separated Britain off from Roman Europe, some have nicknamed him the 'first Brexiteer'.
Christopher Webb, head of the coins department at London-based auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'Carausius established that Britain could be self-sufficient and autonomous and the coin is an important reminder of his remarkable story.
'This coin is extremely rare and an exceptionally fine specimen.
'Carausius has been largely ignored by historians but he was truly extraordinary man.
'As well as being a rebel who briefly won independence from European rule he was also a showman who held what was effectively Britain's first Olympic Games and introduced African lions to an astonished British public.'
WHO WAS CARAUSIUS?
Carausius, also known by his full name of Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Valerius Carausius, lived in the third century AD.
He was a Belgic Gaul (modern-day Belgium) who shed the chains of the Roman Empire and established his own reign for seven years.
The renegade emperor rose through the ranks of the Roman navy to command a fleet tasked with eliminating pirates in the English Channel.
But when he was suspected of keeping some of the captured treasure for himself, the Roman emperor Maximian ordered his execution.
After catching wind of this plan, he took charge of several legions and built his own empire.
The usurper established a territory in northern Europe in 286AD and held power for seven years.
After declaring himself emperor of Britain and northern Gaul, he was assassinated in Britain in 293AD by his finance minister, Allectus.
He established his own regime and controlled the entirety of Britain.
He began producing his own coins and brought them in line with the value of the Roman currency of the time, the Denari.
Because Carausius separated Britain off from Roman Europe, some have nicknamed him the 'first Brexiteer'.
In April 2010, a huge haul of Roman coins was found near Frome in Somerset, and more than 700 of these were from the reign of Carausius.
During the Carausian Revolt, Carausius made himself emperor of Britannia and northern Gaul
Of the ones made during the age of Carausius, only five coins found in England were the Roman Denari.
This suggests that despite his humble beginnings, for nearly a decade the Roman rebel who established his own reign had complete hold over Britain.
Read more: Rare silver coin issued by rebel emperor sold for £10,000 | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The silver Denarius coin was unearthed by 62-year-old gardener Richard Patterson in Winchester, Hampshire.
It was minted during the reign of Carausius, who is known as the 'first Brexiteer' because he won independence from Rome during the seven years he ruled Britain in the 3rd century AD.
Rare silver coin issued by rebel emperor Carausius who was the 'first Brexiteer' is sold for nearly £10,000 after being unearthed by a gardener
A 62-year-old gardener has found a rare coin from the third century AD
It was minted during the reign of Carausius, who is known as the 'first Brexiteer'
The rebel emperor won 'independence' from Rome during the seven years he ruled Britain in the 3rd century AD
By Joe Pinkstone For Mailonline
27 February 2018
A rare coin issued by a Roman emperor who reigned over Britain 1,700 years ago has sold for almost £10,000 ($14,000) at auction.
The silver Denarius coin was unearthed by 62-year-old gardener Richard Patterson in Winchester, Hampshire.
It was minted during the reign of Carausius, who is known as the 'first Brexiteer' because he won independence from Rome during the seven years he ruled Britain in the 3rd century AD.
A rare coin issued by a Roman emperor 1,700 years ago was unearthed by a metal detectorist in Winchester. It has sold for almost £10,000 ($14,000) by 62-year-old groundsman and gardener Richard Patterson. This picture shows the heads side of the ancient coin
Coins from Carausius' brief reign in Britain from 286 to 293AD are rare.
The treasure hunter, who has been metal detecting for 25 years, will split the proceeds of the sale with the landowners.
Mr Patterson said he went into shock when he realised what the coin was after digging it up in a field in Winchester.
He said: 'I usually find a load of rubbish.
'When I found this I realised that it was a silver coin but I didn't have a clue about what it is and how much it might be worth. I'm delighted.'
The silver coin depicts the head of Carausius on one side and a lion on the other.
The renegade emperor was born in what is now Belgium and rose through the ranks of the Roman navy to command a fleet tasked with eliminating pirates in the English Channel.
But when he was suspected of keeping some of the captured treasure for himself the Roman emperor Maximian ordered his execution.
The tails side of the coin depicts a lion. The heads side shows the side portrait of Roman ruler Carausius. During a brief seven-year rule over Britain after he fled Roman Europe he produced these coins which are now extremely rare and valuable
Learning of this he declared himself emperor of Britain with the support of his fleet and the locally-based Roman legions.
He defeated a Roman invasion and minted his own coins.
During his seven years leading Britain he held the Secular Games, a forerunner for the Olympic Games.
A star attraction for the sporting event were African lions he introduced to an astonished British public.
Carausius was a Roman Emperor who lived in the third century AD. Born in modern-day Belgium he left the Roman Empire and set up his own regime. He ruled over Britain and northern Gaul for seven years
The coin was found in the Hampshire town of Winchester. The 62-year-old groundsman and gardener said he went into shock when he realised what the coin was after digging it up in a field
His rule came to a bloody end when he was assassinated in 293 on the orders of his own finance minister who had been colluding with Rome all along.
Because Carausius separated Britain off from Roman Europe, some have nicknamed him the 'first Brexiteer'.
Christopher Webb, head of the coins department at London-based auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'Carausius established that Britain could be self-sufficient and autonomous and the coin is an important reminder of his remarkable story.
'This coin is extremely rare and an exceptionally fine specimen.
'Carausius has been largely ignored by historians but he was truly extraordinary man.
'As well as being a rebel who briefly won independence from European rule he was also a showman who held what was effectively Britain's first Olympic Games and introduced African lions to an astonished British public.'
WHO WAS CARAUSIUS?
Carausius, also known by his full name of Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Valerius Carausius, lived in the third century AD.
He was a Belgic Gaul (modern-day Belgium) who shed the chains of the Roman Empire and established his own reign for seven years.
The renegade emperor rose through the ranks of the Roman navy to command a fleet tasked with eliminating pirates in the English Channel.
But when he was suspected of keeping some of the captured treasure for himself, the Roman emperor Maximian ordered his execution.
After catching wind of this plan, he took charge of several legions and built his own empire.
The usurper established a territory in northern Europe in 286AD and held power for seven years.
After declaring himself emperor of Britain and northern Gaul, he was assassinated in Britain in 293AD by his finance minister, Allectus.
He established his own regime and controlled the entirety of Britain.
He began producing his own coins and brought them in line with the value of the Roman currency of the time, the Denari.
Because Carausius separated Britain off from Roman Europe, some have nicknamed him the 'first Brexiteer'.
In April 2010, a huge haul of Roman coins was found near Frome in Somerset, and more than 700 of these were from the reign of Carausius.
During the Carausian Revolt, Carausius made himself emperor of Britannia and northern Gaul
Of the ones made during the age of Carausius, only five coins found in England were the Roman Denari.
This suggests that despite his humble beginnings, for nearly a decade the Roman rebel who established his own reign had complete hold over Britain.
Read more: Rare silver coin issued by rebel emperor sold for £10,000 | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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