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Gold Stater - Epaticcus Corn Ear Warrior

Features

Issuer Atrebates and Regini tribes (Celtic Britain)
King Epaticcus (circa AD 25-35)
Type Standard circulation coins
Years 35-43
Value Stater (1)
Currency Stater
Composition Gold
Weight 5.4 g
Diameter 16 mm
Shape Round (irregular)
Technique Hammered
Orientation Variable alignment ↺
Demonetized Yes
Number
N#
460540
References ABC# 1343
Elizabeth Cottam, Philip de Jersey, Chris Rudd, John Sills; 2010. Ancient British Coins. Chris Rudd, Aylsham, United Kingdom.
, Van Arsdell# 575-01
Robert D. Van Arsdell; 1989. Celtic Coinage of Britain. Spink & Son, London, United Kingdom.
, Sp# 355
Standard Catalogue of British Coins (37 volumes).
, BMC Iron# 2021, 2022, 2023
Richard Hobbs; 1996. British Iron Age coins in the British Museum. British Museum, London, United Kingdom.
, Mack# 262
Richard Paston Mack; 1975. The Coinage of Ancient Britain. Spink & Son, London, United Kingdom.
, Sills# 381, 382
John Sills; 2017. Divided Kingdoms: The Iron Age Gold Coinage of Southern England. Chris Rudd, Aylsham, United Kingdom.

Obverse

Corn ear (barley) with central stalk. Inscription to left and right.

Script: Latin

Lettering: TAS - CIF

Unabridged legend: Tasciovanus Filius.

Translation: Son of Tasciovanus .

Reverse

Celtic warrior, naked, holding spear in right hand and oval shield in left hand on horse with pellet mane and long tail right. Inscription below, above and behind (the final S formed by the horse's tail).

Script: Latin

Lettering: EPATI - CC - V

Unabridged legend: Epaticcus.

Comments

13 in the Celtic Coin Index.
10 in the Portable Antiquities Scheme database.
3 in the British Museum.
23 in Sills.
The above counts include duplicates.

Evans: VIII.12 (1864, p. 280, pl. VIII).

Van Arsdell Classification: Atrebatic L, Coinage of Epaticcus.

Sills Corn Ear/Warrior (4 obverse, 10 reverse dies): Southern Coinage; Epaticcus; Staters: Class 1 - Corn Ear/Warrior. Obverse derived from Cunobelin's Classic (ABC 2798) and postdates the start of that series. Reverse is from Verica's Warrior Rex (ABC 1190) although the horse is of a different style with pellet not linear mane, while the tail is more like the Vine Leaf (Sills 366), as is the wide inscription spacing. The oval shield is from Tasciovanos's War Trumpet (ABC 2676). All Epaticcus and Caracatus coins have a pellet for the bar of A, which is not found with Verica. Tasciovanos is boldly referenced to demonstrate Commios's line was no longer in charge, and not necessarily to mean he was his son (just as Verica is unlikely to be Commios's son). The use of a Cunobelin obverse and a Verica reverse demonstrate both Epaticcus's north Thames origins and his credentials for the southern kingdom.
Sills DK 381: Straight inscription and even lettering.
Sills DK 382: Curved inscription and uneven lettering.

Sills places the Box Lion unit (ABC 1355) at the start of Epaticcus's reign, and associates it with the Mini Pegasus (ABC 1373) and Boar's Head (ABC 1370) minims. This is followed by the Head Lion unit (ABC 1352) which is associated with Interlocking Squares (ABC 1367) and Bull and Eagle (ABC 1358) minims. Next is the Victory unit (ABC 1349) and the associated Dog and Tree minim (ABC 1361). The end of his reign is marked with the Eagle unit (ABC 1346) and Helmeted Bust (Dog) minim (ABC 1364). There is only one gold, the Corn Ear Warrior stater.

Sills chronology: Gallo-Belgic Ca - Insular Cf / Aa Westerham - British Ad - British Q and L - British Qa-b Derivatives - Commios - Tincomarus - Verica - Epaticcus.

See also

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Date VG F VF XF AU UNC References
ND (35-43)  Photo Sills# 381
John Sills; 2017. Divided Kingdoms: The Iron Age Gold Coinage of Southern England. Chris Rudd, Aylsham, United Kingdom.
Straight inscription and even lettering
ND (35-43)  Sills# 382
John Sills; 2017. Divided Kingdoms: The Iron Age Gold Coinage of Southern England. Chris Rudd, Aylsham, United Kingdom.
Curved inscription and uneven lettering

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Past sales

Pictures Sale Date Version Grade Sold price
Picture 1 of a sold Gold Stater - Epaticcus (Corn Ear Warrior)Picture 1 of a sold Gold Stater - Epaticcus (Corn Ear Warrior)
Noonans
Auction 319
Lot 1017
Internet Archive
6 Mar 2025 ND (35-43) – Sills# 381 – Straight inscription and even lettering VF USD 5928.74
(GBP 4400.00)
(+ buyer's premium)
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