Rare Celtic Coin Catuvellauni Tribe Silver Unit – AD1-10

Description

Header: Rare Celtic coin – Catuvellauni tribe silver unit cAD1-10 – DIAS Squares Type

Denomination: Silver unit

Period: Iron age Celtic

Date: cAD1-10

Origin: Verulamium mint (St Albans)

Condition: VF for type, bold detail but a little off centre, dark toning away from highpoints, a RARE coin

Obverse: Two interlaced squares, DIAS in central tablet, C above, O below

Reverse: Horse left, VIR below (Verlamion), ring above

Size and Weight: 13mm, 1.2g

References: ABC 2739, S268, Mack 188, BMC 1683

Features and Provenance: Comes with C Rudd ticket, found Gt. Chesterford, Essex, 2000, recorded with unique number: 01.1136. On sale at C Rudd, DNW and Hall’s Hammered Coins.

The Catuvellauni tribe (the name meaning ‘men excelling in battle’) occupied a large area now called Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and surrounding lands. Their southern boundary was formed by the Thames or Tamesa (Dark River) as it was called then. They became the strongest tribe and absorbed their rival the Trinovantes and survived into Roman occupation; an inscription near Hadrian’s wall mentions them. Their coins were mint primarily at Verlamion (=Verulamium, St Albans) but also at Camulodunon (Colchester).

The Dias on our coin was an abbreviation for possibly Diasumaros or Diasulos, a ruling member of the Catuvellauni dynasty, the great Cunobelinus may have been his nephew or even his brother.

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of legend etc present. visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present. but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible