Ancient, British and World Coins, Historical Medals and Tokens

Uninscribed issues, silver Unit, Celtic head type, crude head to right, with no forehead, oval pellet eye, mouth formed by a single pellet, hair formed by parallel lines, with a border composed of a wreath and parallel curving lines behind head, two oval pellets in front, reverse horse to right, with necklace, wheel-like object above, lozenge-shaped ornament below (VA – ; cf. VA 665/790–1-4). Very fine. (£60-90)

An unusual and interesting coin: the head has clear stylistic affinities with the group Robert van Arsdell classifies as Icenian E (Celtic head type), the reverse, however, undoubtedly belongs to the coins he assigns to Boudicca and the Icenian rebellion of 61 AD, thus linking the two types and reinforcing the doubts expressed over Van Arsdell’s attribution of 790.1 – 794.1 to the rebel queen. Not published in Van Arsdell but other specimens apparently are known.