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Gold Stater Middle Whaddon Curved Wreath
| Issuer | Catuvellauni tribe (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 45 BC - 40 BC |
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| Currency | Stater |
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| Obverse description | Highly abstracted, disintegrated head of Apollo facing right, rendered in the Celtic artistic tradition. Two crossed wreaths — one curved — form a prominent X motif across the central field, with back-to-back outline crescents positioned at the intersection. Wing-like decorative pellets or scroll elements occupy the angles of the wreaths. No central spike is present. The overall design reflects the Late Iron Age Celtic reinterpretation of Classical Hellenistic iconography, reduced to geometric and curvilinear ornamental components. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (45 BC - 40 BC) |
| Additional information |
The Middle Whaddon Chase series takes its name from the Whaddon Chase area of Buckinghamshire, where a major hoard discovery in the 19th century first brought this coinage to scholarly attention. The Catuvellauni, whose territory covered much of what is now Hertfordshire and surrounding counties, were among the most politically dominant tribes in pre-conquest Britain — their king Tasciovanus would later strike coins explicitly asserting royal authority in ways his predecessors could not have anticipated when this type was being produced.
The curved wreath subtype is distinguished from related Whaddon Chase issues by die characteristics catalogued under Van Arsdell 1493, placing it within a tightly defined sequence.