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Gold Plated Stater - Tasciovanos Hidden Faces Contemporary Counterfeit
| Issuer | Catuvellauni and Trinovantes tribes (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 25 BC - 20 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| 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 |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Contemporary counterfeits of Tasciovanos staters were produced by plating bronze cores with gold foil or wash — a sophisticated deception that required access to both the genuine prototype and metalworking skill well beyond casual forgery. The "hidden faces" type takes its name from abstract anthropomorphic forms worked into the design, a feature consistent with late Iron Age Celtic visual tradition in the Catuvellauni heartland around Verulamium. Whether the counterfeiters operated independently or with insider knowledge of the tribal mint is unresolved.
The plating on survivors varies considerably in thickness and adhesion. Core exposure at the flan edges is the primary diagnostic for the type.