Roman gold coin of Carausius

How many people in Britain know that for ten years, between AD 286 and 296, Britain was ruled by two emperors (Carausius, 286-93; Allectus, 293-6)independent of the rest of the Roman Empire? Both men had control of the Roman fleet in the Channel and North Sea which held their enemies at bay - the first great British Navy. Both men struck coins at London and at another unknown mint that started with the letters C or G. This unique coin, recently discovered in Derbyshire, is from the London Mint and shows the 'courageous' Carausius wearing a helmet. The reverse shows Pax, Carausius claiming that there was peace in Britain. He was the only Roman emperor to use phrases from the poet Virgil on his coins, Carausius being heralded as the 'Expected One'. However, he was assassinated by his chancellor, Allectus, who then ruled for three years before the central Roman Empire reclaimed Britain, restoring the 'Eternal Light of Rome' (as Roman propaganda proclaimed!) to our shores for about another hundred years. You can see this coin in Gallery 41 (Case 14) at the British Museum.