LOT 2987
Celtic Britannia. Iceni AR Unit. Circa AD 20-43. Norfolk God Moustache type.
Male head right, with short spiky hair and boarskin headdress./ Horse right, with cabled mane, cabled pelta above, kite shape below. ABC 1567; VA 792, 794; BMC 3605-759; S 434. Near Extremely Fine. Toned silver, sharply struck, well centred.(0.91gr, 13mm, 8h.).
ProvenanceFound Mildenhall, Suffolk, UK.
Ex Chris Rudd, 118, lot 24, ref. no.13444.
From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
This superb specimen clearly displays the downward-curving moustache and the characteristic crest of boar-like bristles which seem to indicate that the deity is wearing a boarskin headdress.
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Celtic Britannia. Catuvellauni and Trinovantes, Cunobelin AR Unit. Circa AD 10-41. Cunobelinus Two Leaves type.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £494
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. -
Celtic Northeast Gaul. Coriosolites BI Stater. Circa 100-50 BC.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Stylised head to right, hair in large spiral curls, S-like ear; [pearl strings flowing around] / Stylised charioteer driving biga to right; below, boar to right; pearl string flowing above. Depeyrot, NC VIII, 186; DT 2341. 6.13gr, 20mm, 2h.
Good Very Fine.
Ex Michael Trenerry. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent. -
Celtic Britannia. Iceni AV Quarter Stater. Circa 10 BC-AD 5. Irstead Smiler type.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £624
Branches projecting from latticed square / Long-legged horse right, beaded mane, crescent 'smile' above, ringed-pellet below. ABC 1480; VA-; BMC 3437-38; S 430. 1.12gr, 9mm, 4h.
Good Very Fine. Chunky flan of warm cuprous gold, fabulous well centred horse.
Found Stonea Grange, Cambridgeshire, UK. Ex Bernard Winstanley collection. Ex Chris Rudd, 134, lot 25, ref. no.17753. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
This is the gold quarter that accompanies the above Crescent Type Freckenham Flower gold stater. Note that both stater and quarter have the same 'open-headed' horse. On this richly toned example you can see four pellet-eyes of two hidden faces.
