Unique ID: 103
The Cogwheel Smiler quarter stater is the companion to the British Db1 Cheriton Smiler stater (59). The obverse is derived from the series of quarter staters showing a boat on the obverse. For example:
- GB-Ca2 (45, 48, and 52)
- GB-D (26, 31, 38, 47, 54, 62, 63, 64, 70, 79, 81, 86, 93, and 113)
- Insular Cf2 (29 and 41)
- British Ad2 (11, 49, 105, 106, and 108)
- Hampshire Thunderbolt (2, 14, 28, 32, 37, 40, 43, 50, 117, 120, 122, and 123)
- Curdridge Triads (36, 58, and 74)
The engraver was obviously breaking with tradition and modernising the design. It is unknown if the original meanings were retained (assuming of course that the original design of the boat had any meaning at the time). The rendering of the boat’s hull mimicks the “toothy grin” that the full stater is famous for.
The reverse is a complete break from tradition. All of the quarter staters leading up to this one featured some kind of geometric design on the reverse, but this one features a left facing horse with ringed pellets and a solar symbol, much like the British Q style quarters which appeared around this time.
This was the second last quarter stater minted by the Belgae (or more likely an unknown tribe no longer in the historical record) before they dissapeared.