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Gold 1/4 Stater - Eastern North Thames Little Horned Serpent
| Issuer | Trinovantes tribe (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 45 BC - 40 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/4 Stater |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Highly stylised Celtic abstract design rendered in the La Tène tradition, featuring a central cluster of large pellets arranged in a grape-like formation, flanked by curvilinear motifs. Two prominent crescent shapes appear to the right of centre, their open faces oriented leftward, characteristic of the Eastern North Thames series. A rectangular panel bearing a row of small pellets or bosses occupies the lower right field, possibly a vestigial chariot wheel element. Diagonal linear strokes to the left of the field may represent a degraded wreath or hair motif derived from the original Macedonian stater prototype. The entire design is executed in bold, high-relief repousse typical of Late Iron Age British Celtic coinage. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A stylised horse prances to the left in typical Late Iron Age Celtic abstract rendering, its body rendered with elongated limbs and a curved, beaded neck outlined by a row of pellets. A large prominent annulet with a raised central boss appears to the right of the horse, serving as a defining type symbol of this issue and likely representing the 'little horned serpent' or associated zoomorphic device. Curvilinear lines beneath the horse suggest a ground line or abstract exergual element. The field is otherwise plain, with the flan showing the characteristic irregular, slightly ragged edge of a hammered Celtic quarter stater. No legend or inscription is present, consistent with the pre-literate coinage tradition of this tribal group. |
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| Additional information |
The Trinovantes occupied territory roughly corresponding to modern Essex and southern Suffolk, and by the mid-first century BC were under mounting pressure from the expanding Catuvellauni to the west. Small fractional gold staters like this one almost certainly functioned within elite exchange networks — gift-giving, tribute, and mercenary payment — rather than everyday commerce. The denomination is too small for casual market use and too deliberate in its execution to be incidental.
ABC 2225 is a scarce attribution within the Eastern North Thames sequence, with recorded examples numbering in the low dozens across major collections.