LOT 3015
Celtic Northwest Gaul. Carnutes, Pixtilos AE Unit. Circa 40-30 BC. Class VII.
PIXTILOS, diademed male head (Apollo?) to right, with a horned snake-like dragon curling down from the top of his head / Nude man, holding a palm branch in his right hand and the reins with his left, riding a horse prancing to right; below, double spiral ornament. Depeyrot, NC V, 89; D&T 2471; Scheers, Pixtilos, class VII. Good Very Fine. Beautiful dark green patina.(2.72gr, 16mm, 10h.).
ProvenanceEx cgb.fr, Paris (v55_0539).
From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
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Celtic Northeast Gaul. Remi Potin Unit. Circa 100-50 BC.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Bucranium; pellet-in-crescents above, S-ornaments flanking / Bear(?) to right, trampling on serpent(?). Depeyrot, NC VII, 34; D&T 221; CCCBM III 511-8. 5.74gr, 20mm, 5h.
Very Fine.
Ex Chris Rudd. Property of a Lincolnshire gentleman, thence by descent. -
Celtic Northeast Gaul. Leuci Potin Unit. Circa 100-50 BC.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
Stylised head to left / Stylised boar to left; two semicircles with bisecting line (all resembling a lis) below. Depeyrot, NC VII, 139; D&T 227. 5.92gr, 18mm, 5h.
Very Fine.
Ex iNumis, Mail Bid Sale 8, 20 March 2009, lot 133 (company's ticket included). From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent. -
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.
