49 - British Ad2 Geometric - The TCx3 Collection

Unique ID: 49

Technical details

DataDescriptionProvenanceReferences

Denomination	Quarter Stater	Metal	Gold
Area	Britain	Region	Southern
Issuing Authority	Regini	Issuer	Unknown
Weight	1.47g	Diameter	11.22mm
Rarity	Scarce (51 to 100)	Date	70 BC to 55 BC (see note about dating)

Obverse Legend	No Legend
Reverse Legend	No Legend
Obverse Description	The obverse features a large C shaped bulge which is all that remains of the boat with two figures that appears on the Insular Cf2 Class 2 quarters, which share the same die (see 29).
Reverse Description	The orientation of the reverse is unclear. I’ll describe it with the orientation matching the Insular Cf2 Class 2 quarters where the anenome is above a horizontal crooked line, but it could be validly rotated 90 degress clockwise to match the orientation of the Duro Boat Gold quarters where the anenome (the bird) is to the right of a vertical crooked line. The reverse is split horizontally by a crooked line in two segments, linked in the gap by the faintest trace of a small, thin, line. Above to the left is the right hand side of the anenome object, and above, coming in from the right, is a straight bar. Below the crooked bar, on the left, is a bar ending in a Y shape, and on the right, a reversed L shaped object. Compared to the Insular Cf2 Class 2 quarters, the crooked line is much more angular (and split), the anenome has moved to the left and become more like its original shape, the reversed L block is new, and the Y shaped bar has returned to its Y shape and become much more angular. If we rotate it 90 degrees clockwise and compare to the Duro Boat Gold quarters, then the anemone (bird) has moved to the top right of the coin from the bottom right, the L shaped block has moved from the top left to the bottom left, the Y shaped bar has moved from the bottom left to the top left, and the bar on the right has moved from the top right to the bottom right, and isn’t a Y shape.

Bt. Liz’s list 98 No 12 (2018)

Ex David Turner collection

Found near Wragby, Lincolnshire (2012)

CCI 13.0736

ABC	ABC 533. Phallic Geometric
Divided Kingdoms	DK 135 – 137. British Ad2 Class 3 – Geometric

British Ad2 “Geometric” is more commonly known as the “Phallic Geometric” quarter, which makes it a well placed contender for the “most unfortunate name” prize. It was named by someone who has an uncanny ability to see breasts and genitals in the most innocuous of poorly defined shapes, although they may have a point for this particular type. The obverse die used for most coins of this type is the badly worn two-men-and-a-boat die from the Insular Cf2 Class 2 coins (see 29), and at a certain rotation, the chosen name is descriptive.

The reverse design derives from Insular Cf2 (see 29 and 41), but is much more angular and has more in common with the Duro Boat Gold quarter staters (see 7, 8, 12, 16, 42, 51, and 112) which, based on average weight and alloy composition, were contemporary and perhaps started slightly earlier. It dates to the 70-55 BC band, but will probably be towards the middle or end of that range.

The Phallic Geometric is one of the companion quarters to the British Ad1 Tarring staters (see 104).

This is one of four in the collection (see 105, 106, and 108).