Ancient, Celtic, British and World Coins. Historical and Art Medals

Antoninus Pius (138-161), Asses (2), 154-5, Rome, laureate bust right, revs. Britannia seated left on a rock, her head leaning on her right hand, 11.94, 10.99gm (RIC 934; C 117) [2]. Fair (£40-50)

These interesting, though not uncommon, coins refer to the insurrection of the Brigantes of Yorkshire and Derbyshire which was crushed by the Roman governor Q. Lollius Urbicus in 155 and perhaps otherwise unattested disturbances in northern Britain, a region far less Romanised and pacific than the south. Gilbert Askew, writing in 1951, suggested the coins may have been struck in Britain at a temporary or travelling mint and went on to note that specimens in grades better than fine are “really rare”