82 - Clacton Star

Copyright tcx3.co.uk

Unique ID: 82

Technical details
DataDescriptionProvenanceReferences

Denomination

Quarter Stater

Metal

Gold

Area

Britain

Region

North Thames

Issuing Authority

Trinovantes

Issuer

Unknown

Weight

1.11g

Diameter

14mm

Rarity

Extremely Rare (6 to 15)

Date

57 BC to 55 BC (see note about dating)

Obverse Legend

No Legend

Reverse Legend

No Legend

Obverse Description

The obverse shows the remains of an ornate boat with two figures. The top half of the coin has a pelleted line with rays emanating from it.

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 running horse with a large square-edged tail, an oval annulet below the tail, and a spiky mane. There’s a star between its legs, and it is surrounded by pellets.

Bought from Essex Coins. Ebay item 193314332891 (2020)

Divided Kingdoms

DK 414. British G2 Class 2b – Clacton Star

The Clacton Star quarter staters are the final class in the British G2 series, coming after the much more common Clacton de Jersey quarter (see 24). Dr. John Sills posits that they were minted after the start of the Gallic wars in 58 BC but before the first invasion of Britain by Caesar in 55 BC. These are the last coins in the type, and are of a much poorer quality metal than the early coins, so they are likely to have been minted near to 55 BC.

This is one of two in the collection (see 69).