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Gold 1/4 Stater Mildenhall Mystery
| Issuer | Iceni tribe (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 15 BC - 20 AD |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/4 Stater |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A stylised horse advancing to the right occupies the central field, rendered in the abstract Celtic manner characteristic of Icenian quarter staters. A cross device is placed on the rump of the horse, serving as a distinctive typological marker for this issue. Numerous pellets are scattered throughout the field above, below, and around the horse, creating a densely decorated composition. No legend or inscription is present. The design reflects the degenerate but energetic artistic tradition derived ultimately from Macedonian prototype coinage. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Iceni occupied what is now Norfolk and Suffolk, and their gold stater coinage was already in decline by the time this fractional issue entered circulation — Roman economic pressure was systematically displacing native gold with imported currency. The "Mildenhall Mystery" designation reflects genuine scholarly disagreement about attribution; the type was grouped under this name precisely because its issuing authority within the Iceni hierarchy cannot be confidently assigned to any named ruler or sub-group.
At 0.9g, these quarters were already pushing the lower practical threshold for everyday exchange. Hoarding, not heavy use, accounts for most surviving examples.