Important Celtic Coins

Dobunni, Uninscribed issues, Unit, head left with braided hair, cockerel head in front, ornaments around, rev. triple-tailed horse right, crested cockerel head above and below, 1.15g/2h (BMC –; VA –; S –). Of good silver and fine style, very fine or better, extremely rare (£400-500)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Celtic Coins from the Collection of the late Michael J. Grover.

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The coin seems to be a left-facing prototype of the Dobunnic unit, Allen type A; the fine silver and style suggests it is a forerunner of the substantive, right-facing issue. The triple-tailed horse bears a certain resemblance to the Atrebatic type, the cog-wheel on the Atrebatic coins developing into the crested cockerel head on the Dobunnic series. For a similar coin see C Rudd FPL 27, August 1997 (36) where it is stated that the few known examples are “very clearly localised to the Newbury area of Berkshire”, an area lying between the territories of the Atrebates and Dobunni