Celtic Britannia. Iceni AR Unit. Circa AD 10-43(?). Ece Y-Three type.

Boar to right, solar anemone above / Horse to left, solar anemone above, ringed-pellet below and to left, ladder-like exergue motif. ABC 1782; VA 855-7; BMC 3199-202; S 396. 1.43gr, 13mm, 9h.

Good Very Fine. Dark toned silver, beautifully ornamented.

Found Rothwell Top, Lincolnshire, UK, April 1994. Ex Michael O'Bee collection. Ex Chris Rudd, 117, lot 37, ref. no.14240. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

The two great things about coins from the celebrated Michael O'Bee collection of Corieltavian coins is that (1) they are in beautiful condition, and (2) they come with secure provenances. This lovely Proto Boar silver unit, for example, was found at Rothwell Top, Lincs., in April 1994.

Two crescents back-to-back, CV to left, N to right, two leaves above and below / Warrior on horse rearing up right, sword in right hand, CAM below. ABC 2888; VA 2047; BMC 1866-67; S 304. 1.31gr, 13mm, 10h.

Good Very Fine. Fabulous warrior, bold CAM. Very rare.

Ex Gary Leeke collection. Ex Chris Rudd, 122, lot 50, ref. no.15518. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

The two-moon vegetal motif could possibly be seen as a reinterpretation of the obverse of the Tasciovanos Quatrefoil gold quarter stater (ABC 2583) or Tasciovanos Capricorn silver unit (ABC 2619). John Evans says: "The type of the obverse is quite new, and seems to be formed of two ivy(?) leaves with berries on either side. In general character, however, the device recalls the winged thunderbolt on a denarius of the Salvia family" [struck for Octavian, early 40 BC, Sear RCV 1541, RRC 523/1] (The Coins of the Ancient Britons, Supplement, 1890, p.566). Chris Rudd is sure that the two leaves are ivy leaves. Evergreen ivy symbolises enduring strength and the eternal cycle of death (leaf facing down) and rebirth (leaf facing up), a visual idea repeated by the two crescent moons - one waxing (dying), the other waning (born again). Ivy climbs up oak trees - trees sacred to the druids whose very name means 'oak-knowers', holy men with strong insight. Chris Rudd thinks that the ivy leaves on this coin were drawn from life, not copied from a coin or gemstone. Ivy leaves can occasionally be seen in miniature on Roman coins (for example, Sear RCV 298 and 362) but bear little resemblance to these two large leaves. The English word 'ivy', along with the names Ivo, Yvonne, Yvette and St.Ives, are all probably linked to the Celtic word ivos 'yew' - another evergreen.

Boar left, with prominent bristles and upturned snout, branch above, ring in front, ringed-pellet under / Horse stepping right, ring between and above front legs, pentagram under, pellet border. ABC 285; VA 167 var. (ring not ringed-pellet between and above horse's front legs); BMC 2490; S 176. 1.76gr, 14mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine. Glossy brown patina, beautiful boar, well centred round flan. Very rare type. Extremely rare variant.

Found Springhead, Kent, in 2002. Ex Matthew Rich collection. Ex Chris Rudd, 123, lot 9, ref. no.16321. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

Boars are associated with forests; so we may suppose the branch represents a forest of trees. On the other hand it could be a victory palm-branch. The pentagram can be seen on other Cantian coins (ABC 249, 282, 309 and 354) and on the North Thames Dragon Cross silver unit (ABC 2258).