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Silver Plated Unit - Epaticcus Eagle Contemporary Counterfeit
| Issuer | Atrebates and Regini tribes (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 35-43 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
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| Obverse description | Bust facing right, rendered in a crude, stylised Celtic manner consistent with a contemporary counterfeit of the Epaticcus silver unit series. The portrait, heavily worn and somewhat indistinct, displays the characteristic abstracted Celtic treatment of facial features. The silver plating has largely separated from the bronze core, revealing the base metal beneath across much of the surface. The die work is rough and irregular, confirming the piece as an unofficial imitation rather than an official tribal issue. The field is uneven, with a granular, pitted surface texture typical of debased plated struck pieces of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Irregular |
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| Additional information |
Epaticcus ruled the Atrebates from roughly 35 AD until the Catuvellaunian expansion under Caratacus pushed his tribe westward — a political collapse that likely disrupted coin production and opened the door for unofficial issues. Contemporary counterfeits of this type were not criminal enterprises in the modern sense; the shortage of small silver coinage in pre-Roman Britain made plated copies functionally acceptable in many transactions. The bronze core beneath the silver wash on this piece places it firmly in that tradition.
The BMC Iron Age reference 2269 specifically catalogues plated specimens, acknowledging their period authenticity.