Severus II, as Caesar, 305-306. Follis (Silvered bronze, 28 mm, 9.54 g, 7 h), Londinium, 1 May 305-26 July 306. SEVERVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Severus II to right. Rev. GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI The Genius of the Roman people standing front, head to left, holding patera in his right hand and cornucopiae in his left. Cloke & Toone 4.02.016. RIC 59a. Struck from a slightly worn reverse die, otherwise, about extremely fine.



The Rauceby Hoard was discovered by a detectorist near Ancaster (Lincolnshire) in July 2017, close to Ermine Street, originally a Roman road leading from Londinium (London) to Lindum Colonia (Lincoln) and Eboracum (York). The hoard of over 3000 coins – all tetrarchic folles – was contained in a large ceramic vessel, itself buried at the center of an oval pit lined with quarried limestone. This betrays a deliberate act rather than haphazard burial in the face of danger and, quite possibly, the hoard was a votive offering to the gods. The youngest coin in the hoard was a reduced follis of Maximian, perhaps minted under Constantine I, but no coins of the latter as Augustus were found. This means the hoard was likely buried circa 307, amidst the events of Constantine I's acclamation as Caesar in Eboracum in 306 and his subsequent elevation to the rank of Augustus in December 307. The importance of the hoard further lies in its well-recorded find context and the fact that it is the largest recorded hoard from this period found in Britain to date.