Les Quennevais Roman Coin Hoard

Roman coin hoards and scatters have been found in various parts of Jersey, from Les Quennevais to L’Ile Agois, suggesting that the Roman currency was prevalent in the Channel Islands during the Roman occupation of Gaul.

Background

The history of the Romans in Jersey is, as of yet, fairly sparse. Besides the six known promontory forts that dot the North and East coast of Jersey. There is little archaeological evidence to suggest that the Romans themselves ever settled in Jersey. However, archaeological finds such as Roman jewellery, ceramics, and coins, have all been found within Jersey, suggesting some level of Roman influence within the island, likely through the trade and settlement of Romanised Gauls.

Discovery and Analysis

In February 1848, a coarse earthenware jar was discovered by workmen within a sandy hillock at Les Quennevais. The vessel was reported to have contained approximately 400 late Roman coins. Unfortunately, this is about as much as we know of the discovery, due to the significant lack of archaeological evaluations and recordings at the time.

The coins were later studied by the renowned Guernsey archaeologist and antiquarian, Fredrick Corbin Lukis. Lukis’ record of the coins was later presented to the Worcester Congress in the summer of 1848 and published in the Journal of Archaeological Association. Lukis’ research attributed the coins to date between c.305-315AD. This is further built upon by Major N.V.L Rybot who expanded the date to c.305-317AD. Most of the coins within this hoard date between this timeframe, with a smaller proportion falling beyond these dates. Collectively, the coins likely date between c.292-c.350AD, a period defined by the Roman Tetrarchy; the Rise of the House of Constantine; and the emergence of Christianity as the dominate religion of the Roman Empire.

Reasonings for why and when the hoard was buried is still speculative. Rybot’s research on the coins stated a probable burial date of c.317AD, due to many of the coins dating between c.305-317AD and attributed to Constantine the Great. Rybot claimed that the coins which were dated beyond 317AD to be ‘intruders’. However, it is arguable that the burial date is closer to c.350AD, due to the nature in which the hoard was buried. The coins stored within the ceramic jar, give a more purposeful sense to the burial, and seem improbable that numerous coins would have found their way into the jar, by chance, after the burial.

The Coins and Their Emperors

The coins all feature varying Emperors, deities, and mints, which make them all unique in their own sense. The emperors that make an appearance within the hoard include, Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius I, Constantine I, Licinius, Maximinus II, Constantine II, Galerius, Maxentius, and Constantius II. Most of the coins were minted in Londinium (London) and Treveri (Trier), but some were struck as far away as Thessalonica in Greece.

Due to the multiple economic reforms which took place during the late-3^rd and early-4^th century AD, it is unknown what the value of each coin represented. Due to its shortage across the Roman Empire, the silver content in coins was gradually reduced. By 317AD, the Nummus, which once weighed around 8.5g, only weighed around 3g.

Therefore, most coins from this period are called Nummus, which is Latin for low denomination coin, and are placed into different classes based on size. AE 1 class coins are c.25mm plus; AE 2 class coins are between c.25mm-20mm; AE 3 class coins are between c.20mm-16mm; and AE 4 class coins are c.16mm and less.

(A/0005428/001): Roman AE 2 Nummus – Constantine I

Production Date: 310-313AD

Obverse: Bust of Constantine I, facing right, wearing a laurel wreath and cuirass. Inscription reads ‘CONSTANTINVS PF AVG’, which is an abbreviation for Constantine Pius Felix Augustus.

Reverse: Image of the Roman deity, Sol, standing upright, facing left, with a raised right hand, holding a glove in the left hand. Inscription reads, ‘SOLI INVICTO COMITI’, which translates to ‘To the unconquered Sun, Minister [of the emperor].

Mint Mark: PLN – Londinium (London, England).

Roman AE 2 Nummus – Constantine I

(A/0005428/010): Roman AE 2 Nummus – Licinius

Production Date: 309-311AD

Obverse: Bust of Licinius, facing right, wearing a laurel wreath. Inscription reads, ‘IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG’, which is an abbreviation for Imperator Licinianus Licinius Pius Felix Augustus.

Reverse: Image of the Roman Genius of the Emperors, standing left, partly nude with a chlamys draped over left shoulder, holding a patera in right hand and a cornucopia in left hand. Inscription reads, ‘GENIO AVGVSTI’, which translates to Genius of the Emperors.

Mint Mark: SIS – Sisca (Sisak, Croatia).

Roman AE 2 Nummus – Licinius

(A/0005428/020): Roman AE 1 Nummus – Constantius I

Production Date: 294-298AD

Obverse: Bust of Constantius Chlorus I, facing right, wearing a laurel wreath. Inscription reads, ‘CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES’, which is an abbreviation for Constantius Nobilisimus Caesar.

Reverse: Image of Genius of the Roman People, standing left, wearing a chlamys, falling from left shoulder, holding a patera in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Inscription reads, ‘GENIO POPVLI ROMANI’, which translates to Genius of the Roman People.

Mint Mark: TR – Treveri (Trier, Germany).

Roman AE 1 Nummus – Constantius I

A/0005428/026): Roman AE 2 Nummus – Diocletian

Production Date: 307AD

Obverse: Bust of Diocletian, facing right, wearing a laurel wreath and imperial mantle; holding an olive branch in right hand and mappa in left hand. Inscription reads, ‘DN DIOCLETIANO PFS AVG’, which is an abbreviation for Dominus Noster Diocletian Pius Felix Senoir Augustus.

Reverse: Image of the Roman deity, Quies, standing left, wearing a trabea; holding a branch downwards in right hand and leaning on a sceptre with left hand. Inscription reads, ‘QVIES AVG’, which is an abbreviation for Quies Augustus – the personification of retirement and rest, signifying the abdication of Diocletian in 305AD.

Mint Mark: None

Roman AE 2 Nummus – Diocletian

A/0005428/028): Roman AE 1 Nummus – Maximian

Production Date: 307-308AD

Obverse: Bust of Maximian, facing right, wearing a laurel wreath. Inscription reads, ‘IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG’, which is an abbreviation for Imperator Caesar Maximian Pius Felix Augustus.

Reverse: Image of a hexastyle temple, with a central seated figure of the Roman deity, Roma, holding a globe in her right hand and a sceptre in her left hand. Inscription reads, ‘CONSERV VRB SVAE’, which translates to Protector/Defender of his city.

Mint Mark: S T – Ticinum (Pavia, Italy).

Roman AE 1 Nummus – Maximian

(A/0005428/030): Roman AE 2 Nummus – Maxentius

Production Date: 307-312AD

Obverse: Bust of Maxentius, facing right, wearing a laurel wreath. Inscription reads, ‘IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG’, which is an abbreviation for Imperator Caesar Maxentius Pius Felix Augustus.

Reverse: Image of a hexastyle temple, with a central seated figure of the Roman deity, Roma, holding a globe in her right hand and a sceptre in her left hand. The inscription reads, ‘CONSERV VRB SVAE’, which translates to Protector/Defender of his city.

Mint Mark: RB[S] – Rome (Italy)

Roman AE 2 Nummus – Maxentius

(A/0005428/040): Roman AE 2 Nummus – Constantius II

Production Date: 350-355AD

Obverse: Bust of Constantius II, facing right, wearing a diadem and draped cuirass. Inscription reads, ‘DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG’, which an abbreviation for Dominus Noster Constantius Pius Felix Augustus.

Reverse: Image of Constantius II, standing left on a galley, holding a globe with a phoenix on top in right hand and a standard, with the Chi-Rho symbol on the banner, in left hand; the seated figure of Victory is positioned to the right of Constantius, steering the ship. Inscription reads, ‘FEL TEMP REPARATIO’, which translates to re-establishment of happy times, or return of happy days.

Mint Mark: TSΓ – Thessalonica (Thessaloniki, Greece).

Roman AE 2 Nummus – Constantius II