Sunday, 12 April 2026

Oriuna

I got a "bucket list" coin in late 2024. It's a Carausius antoninianus of the RSR mint with the legend FORTVNA AVG (ex Malcolm Lyne collection).

The coin type, with a female figure in a wreath on the reverse, was the subject of great academic debate in the 18th century when, because of the misreading of the unique silver laureate of the type, it was interpreted as Oriuna on the reverse, the supposed wife of Carausius. All the known specimens, the unique silver laureate and the handfull of billon radiates, are all seemingly from the same reverse die.

I keep threatening to finish a longer piece about Oriuna and the argument that raged amongst the antiquarians but have so far been thwarted by either lack of time or opening up new rich veins of research. I hopefully will get chance to finish it this next twelve months. In the mean time here's my web page on Oriuna coins:

The Oriuna coins.