Celtic Britannia. Catuvellauni and Trinovantes, Cunobelin AE Unit.

Facing head with walrus moustache and beard / Boar to left, branch above, CVN below. ABC 2912; VA 1963; BMC 1904-05, SCBC 326. 1.38gr, 13mm, 10h.

Good Very Fine. Slightly ragged flan; dark patina. Rare; none on CoinArchives.

Ex Chris Rudd, 116, lot 48, ref. no.15413 (dealer's ticket included). Found near Chelmsford, Essex, 2010. Ex Joe Fay collection. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

Sir John Evans said this head "cannot be paralleled in the whole British series" (The coins of the ancient Britons, 1864, p.322). It may be of Cunobelinus himself or it may be of the sun-god Belenus 'the shining one' or 'the strong one'. Although this type is classed as no scarcer than 'Rare', it hardly ever seems to turn up these days and, when it does, inevitably commands a premium price, such is its popularity with collectors. Most of the 36 examples recorder by the CCI aren't as sharp as this one.

Stylised head to right / Abstract boar to right above central pellet-in-annulet; annulet to left, five pellets and torque below. Depeyrot, NC VI, 123; D&T 530; CCCBM III 444-7; de la Tour 7905. 3.16gr, 17mm, 9h.

Good Very Fine.

Ex Chris Rudd, LL44, lot 9, ref. no.13698 (dealer's ticket included). Ex A Clarke collection. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

Cast knobbed rings. 7.11gr total.

Condition as seen.

From a private Tyneside collection, formed since the early 2000s.