20 - Clacton Cross - The TCx3 Collection

Unique ID: 20

Technical details

DataDescriptionProvenanceReferences

Denomination	Quarter Stater	Metal	Gold
Area	Britain	Region	North Thames
Issuing Authority	Trinovantes	Issuer	Unknown
Weight	1.51g	Diameter	13mm
Rarity	Rare (31 to 50)	Date	55 BC to 54 BC (see note about dating)

Obverse Legend	No Legend
Reverse Legend	No Legend
Obverse Description	The obverse shows a boat with two figures. A quatrefoil “solar symbol” and small triangle appear to the left. The obverse is sometimes rotated 180 degrees and described as a stylised animal (normally a boar but sometimes a wolf), but the arguments for this are unconvincing and the text required to describe the design as a boar or other abstract animal becomes increasingly convoluted. A possible interpretation of the boat and its passengers was presented by Daphne Nash Briggs in "Reading the images on lron-Age coins: I. the sun-boat and its passengers".
Reverse Description	The reverse consists of a cross made from double lines, with pelleted crescents and pellets between the arms.

Bt. from finder on Ebay 2017. Item number 253224892087

Found High Ongar, North Essex

ABC	ABC 2356. Clacton Cross
Divided Kingdoms	DK 423. British F2 Class 2 – Voided Cross
Spink	S 41. Clacton Type

The Clacton Cross quarter stater is part of a series started by the Clacton Dragon type (see 18 and 27). Both types share the same obverse design (and obverse die 1) but the reverses have no similarities.

It’s not known why the reverse switched from a “dragon” to a cross, nor why the Clacton Dragon coins are so rare but the Clacton Cross coins are much more common.

This is one of two in the collection (see 94).