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Gold 1/4 Stater - Cunobelin Cunobelinus Plastic
| Issuer | Catuvellauni and Trinovantes tribes (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 20-43 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by a boldly rendered ear of barley or wheat, depicted without a central stalk, with globular grains arranged in two lateral rows along the stem, splaying outward in a stylised Celtic manner. Flanking the grain ear on either side are the Latin letters C-A to the left and M-V to the right, forming the mint abbreviation CAMV for Camulodunum, rendered in the characteristic angular script of Cunobelin's coinage. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, consistent with hand-struck Celtic gold quarter staters of the early first century AD. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A horse rearing vigorously to the right, rendered in a dynamic Celtic abstract style with short dashes or strokes indicating the mane. Above the horse, a decorative branch motif is present, typically accompanied by a single pellet or a triad of pellets arranged in the field. Below the horse, the abbreviated legend CVN is inscribed in Latin characters, identifying the issuer as Cunobelin (Cymbeline), king of the Catuvellauni and Trinovantes. The overall composition reflects the artistic conventions of late British Iron Age coinage, with strong diagonal energy and minimal but purposeful use of secondary field ornaments. |
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| Additional information |
Cunobelin ruled the most powerful tribal kingdom in pre-Roman Britain for roughly four decades, his authority stretching across modern Hertfordshire and Essex from his capital at Camulodunum — the settlement Rome would later remake as Colchester. This fractional gold issue belongs to the final years of that reign, struck as Roman diplomatic and military pressure on British client kingdoms intensified under Claudius. Within a year or two of production, the invasion of 43 AD ended Catuvellauni independence permanently.
The "Plastic" classification in the ABC typology refers to a specific die style, not a modern material — a period term used by Celtic numismatists to describe the sculptural, three-dimensional rendering of design elements characteristic of this sub-series.