Gold Plated Stater - Cunobelinus Biga Contemporary Counterfeit

Features

Location	Catuvellauni and Trinovantes tribes (Celtic Britain)
King	Cunobeline (circa AD 9-40)
Type	Contemporary counterfeits
Years	10-20
Value	Stater (1)
Currency	Stater
Composition	Gold plated bronze
Weight	5.5 g
Diameter	17 mm
Shape	Round (irregular)
Technique	Hammered
Orientation	Variable alignment ↺
Demonetized	Yes
Number	N# 484273
References	ABC# cf. 2771 Elizabeth Cottam, Philip de Jersey, Chris Rudd, John Sills; 2010. Ancient British Coins. Chris Rudd, Aylsham, United Kingdom. , Van Arsdell# cf. 1910 Robert D. Van Arsdell; 1989. Celtic Coinage of Britain. Spink & Son, London, United Kingdom. , Sp# cf. 280 Standard Catalogue of British Coins (37 volumes). , BMC Iron# cf. 1769, 1770, 1771 Richard Hobbs; 1996. British Iron Age coins in the British Museum. British Museum, London, United Kingdom. , Mack# cf. 201 Richard Paston Mack; 1975. The Coinage of Ancient Britain. Spink & Son, London, United Kingdom. , Sills# cf. 547, 548, 549 John Sills; 2017. Divided Kingdoms: The Iron Age Gold Coinage of Southern England. Chris Rudd, Aylsham, United Kingdom.

Series: Biga

Obverse

Inscription in beaded or plain line tablet (V and L sometimes ligate) with ringed pellets at either end, in centre of vertical wreath of small horizontal leaves either side of a solid line enclosed in round-cornered panels. Heart shaped 'faces' and bucrania or splayed pellet V-shapes in opposite angles.

Script: Latin

Lettering: CAMVL

Unabridged legend: Camulodunon.

Reverse

Biga (two-horse chariot) left. Large leaf above, sometimes with pellet below. Four-spoked wheel with pellets between spokes below. Curved exergual line with inscription below (sometimes blundered). Beaded border.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
CVNOBELINI or
CVNOBELIN or
CVNOBELI or
CVNOBEIГ

Unabridged legend: Cunobelinus.

Translation: Cunobelin.

Mint

CAMVL

Camulodunum, modern-day Colchester, United Kingdom

Comments

1 known. Possibly unique.

Many Celtic coins have been found consisting of a base metal core, sometimes with a precious metal coating. Often these appear to have been forgeries, but many appear to have been struck using the same dies as official coins, making their status less clear. This coin may therefore be a contemporary counterfeit or an official issue.

The illustrated coin is in the Portable Antiquities Scheme database (CC BY 2.0).

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Date					VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
Undetermined
ND (10-20)												Bronze core
ND (10-20)												Gold plated

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