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Potin Unit Angular Bull / Holman F1
| Issuer | Cantii tribe (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 75 BC - 55 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Highly stylised, schematic head facing right in low relief, rendered in the abstract Celtic geometric tradition characteristic of Cantian potin coinage. The facial features are reduced to bold curved and angular lines, with the eye either absent (no pellet) or indicated by a single central pellet depending on the die variety. The outline of the head is formed by a large arc, with subsidiary curved lines suggesting the jaw, neck, and hair or helmet. The design occupies the full flan and shows the deliberate simplification typical of late Iron Age British cast potin issues. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (75 BC - 55 BC) - F1/3-1 (Allen H4): Head right, no eye pellet. Bull left, both pairs of legs apart at the top - ND (75 BC - 55 BC) - F1/3-2 (Allen J6): Head right, with eye pellet. Bull left, both pairs of legs apart at the top - ND (75 BC - 55 BC) - F1/3-3: Head right, no eye pellet. Bull left, front legs joined at top, rear apart - ND (75 BC - 55 BC) - F1/3-4 (Allen J7): Head right, with eye pellet. Bull left, front legs joined at top, rear apart - |
| Additional information |
Potin — a tin-rich bronze alloy — was cast rather than struck, making Cantii issues like this one technically distinct from nearly all contemporary Celtic coinage in Britain. The Cantii occupied the territory of modern Kent, the landing zone for both Caesar's 55 BC and 54 BC expeditions, and coins of this type were almost certainly in active circulation the moment Roman soldiers first set foot on British soil.
The casting process leaves seam lines and surface irregularities that are features of manufacture, not damage.