Celtic Coinage of Britain

third edition

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Copyright R. D. Van Arsdell 2017
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Kentish Dynastic Coinages

 

The first inscribed coins carry an illegible inscription, mostly off the flan on existing pieces. The letters 'IVII' partially appear on one stater, but the reading is uncertain. Hopefully, future finds will enable the full inscription to be read.

 

The next series of inscribed coins are those of the Kentish Dubnovellaunus, probably a different ruler from the one in Essex. Dubnovellaunus-in-Kent struck coins from about 30 B.C. up to the Trinovantian/Catuvellaunian Interregnum, about 10 B.C. At this point, he was replaced by a short-lived ruler, Vosenos, who was in turn replaced by Eppillus of the Atrebates/Regni/Belgae. Eppillus, sensing a loss of Trinovantian/Catuvellaunian influence, intervened in Kent only to be later driven out by Cunobeline. Eppillus issued special coins for use in Kent; subsequently, Cunobeline's coinage circulated. Between the death of Cunobeline and the Claudian invasion, the brief issues of Amminius appeared.

 

All Kentish dynastic coinage is extremely rare, with only a few examples of each type known today. The issues must have been small, and would be relatively unimportant except they identify the names of Kentish rulers. For the most part, the economic influences of the Trinovantes/Catuvellauni, and for a short time the Artebates/Regni/Belgae were the significant factors in Kent.

 

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Dubnovellaunus in Kent Third Coinage

 

The Third Coinage introduces thoroughly Romanized designs to the silver and bronze. No distinguishing privy mark identifies the series consistently, though the gold and silver have a pronounced pellet-in-ring motif in the field. The Third Coinage's quarter stater awaits discovery.

 

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V176-01

176 - 01    Dubnovellaunus in Kent

30-10 B.C.      Extremely Rare

Gold Stater    17 mm    5.6 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Allen, 1944

 

OBV: Plain with slight banding

Identifying points:

    1) slight banding—only a raised band across the centre

 

REV: Celticized horse right

Identifying points:

    1) six-spoked wheel with axle below horse

    2) pellet-in-ring above horse

    3) 'sunburst' in front of horse

    4) inscription above horse

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian L

 

NOTES:

  - Typical weight given, but likely to be the standard weight as well

   - Inscription contains at least the letters DVBNOVT

   - Modern forgery known, see 176-lF

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V178-01

178 - 01    Dubnovellaunus in Kent

30-10 B.C.      Very Rare

Silver Unit    14 mm    0.9 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Evans, 1890

 

OBV: Horned animal left

Identifying points:

     1) fan-like object above animal

     2) pellet-in-ring motifs below animal

     3) pellet border

 

REV: Seated metalworker

Identifying points:

     1) man seated on cushion left

     2) man holds hammer

     3) pellet-in-ring motif in front of man

     4) inscription DVBNO behind man

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian L

 

NOTES:

  - Celtic Coin Index records now indicate commoner than previously thought

  - Henig suggests reverse design is adapted from an engraved gemstone

  - A coin of Cunobeline, 2097-1, copies this coin's reverse design – (see 2097-01)

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V180-01

180 - 01    Dubnovellaunus in Kent

30-10 B.C.      Very Rare

Bronze Unit    13 mm    19 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Evans, 1864

 

OBV: Boar right

Identifying points:

     1) inscription DVBNO between two lines below boar

 

REV: Eagle standing three-quarters right

Identifying points:

     1) Eagle's wings spread

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian L

 

NOTES:

  - A coin of Cunobeline's (see 2105-1) copies this coin's reverse design

  - Henig suggests the reverse design is adapted from an engraved gemstone

  - Celtic Coin Index records now indicate commoner than previously thought

  - Most are in museums

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V181-01

181 - 01    Dubnovellaunus in Kent

30-10 B.C.      Very Rare

Bronze Unit    15 mm    2.3 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Mack, 1953

 

OBV: Boar left

Identifying points:

     1) inscription DVBNO above boar

     2) pellet-in-ring motif below boar

 

REV: Horseman right

Identifying points:

     1) horseman hold object, possibly carnyx

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian L

 

NOTES:

  - Celtic Coin Index records now indicate commoner than previously thought

  - Some are in museums

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Vosenos

 

Vosenos, a short-lived ruler, issued a single coinage. Most of his types are known in only a handful of examples. On the gold, the banding, seen only slightly on the coinage of Dubnovellaunus, becomes pronounced.

 

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V184-01

184 - 01    Vosenos

10-5 B.C.      Extremely Rare

Gold Stater    17 mm    5.4 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Evans, 1864

 

OBV: Plain with pronounced bands

Identifying points:

     1) three pronounced, raised bands

 

REV: Celticized horse left

Identifying points:

     1) pellet-in-ring motif on shoulder, above and in front of horse

     2) bucranium above horse

     3) horned serpent below horse

     4) inscription above horse, contains at least the letters NOS, probably VOSENOS

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian M

 

NOTES:

  - Most in museums

  - Typical weight given, also likely to be the standard weight

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V185-01

185 - 01    Vosenos

10-5 B.C.      Extremely Rare

Gold Quarter Stater    11 mm    1.3 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Evans, 1864

 

OBV: Plain with pronounced bands

Identifying points:

     1) three pronounced, raised bands

 

REV: Celticized horse right

Identifying points:

     1) pellet-in-ring motif above horse's rump

     2) ring with six-pointed star above horse

     3) pellet under neck and tail

     4) inscription under horse VOSII

     5) two pellet-in-ring motifs above horse

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian M

 

NOTES:

  - Typical weight given

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V186-01

186 - 01     Vosenos

10-5 B.C.      Extremely Rare

Silver Unit    16 mm    1.1 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Mack, 1964 (found Canterbury, 1953)

 

OBV: Horse and griffin

Identifying points:

     1) horse and griffin standing on two legs

     2) pellet-in-ring motifs between animals in ver tical column

     3) pellet-in-ring motifs above animals in row

     4) pellet border

 

REV: Celticized horse right

Identifying points:

     1) three pellet-in-ring motifs in front of horse

     2) pellet-in-ring motifs below exergual line

     3) inscription between two lines diagonally above horse, retrograde, reading VODENOS or VODENIOS (retrograde)

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian M

 

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V187-01

187 - 01     Vosenos

10-5 B.C.      Rare

Bronze Unit    13 mm    1.9 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Evans, 1864

 

OBV: Boar left

Identifying points:

     1) meandering wreath above boar

     2) probable pellet border

 

REV: Celticized horse left

Identifying points:

     1) horse similar to one on stater

     2) pellet-in-ring motifs in field

     3) pellet border

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian M

 

NOTES:

  - Celtic Coin Index records now indicate commoner than previously thought

  - Some in museums

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Coinages After Vosenos

 

Sometime during the Trinovantian/Catuvellaunian Interregnum, Vosenos disappears and the Atrebatic/Regnan/Belgic ruler Eppillus appears. Eppillus issues a special coinage for use in Kent, including a Victory stater. These coins have traditionally been ascribed to an invasion – one with a traveling mint following the invaders.

 

Eppillus' occupation of Kent appears to have been short-lived. Coins of Cunobeline soon replace them, suggesting Cunobeline drove Eppillus out. Cunobeline's coins become the normal coins of Kent for the next thirty years.

 

For the coins of Eppillus in Kent, refer to the coinage of the Atrebates/Regni/Belgae, 430-01 to 453-01. The coins of Cunobeline which circulated in Kent are the normal Trinovantian/Catuvellaunian issues.

 

Towards the end of Cunobeline's reign, new types appear in Kent carrying the inscription Amminius or AM.

 

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Amminius

 

After Cunobeline's death, a local Kentish ruler appears, Amminius, who strikes two small issues of silver and bronze coins prior to the Roman invasion of 43 A.D.

 

Amminius First Coinage

 

The first coinage is made up of coins with Romanized designs. The designs are well-engraved.

 

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Amminius Second Coinage

 

Amminius' Second Coinage is cruder in execution than the First. The coins are characterized by a Capricorn on the reverse. These are the last Celtic coins struck in Kent, on the eve of the Claudian invasion. A silver minim with an 'A' in an eight-sided star and bird reverse, traditionally assigned to Amminius is actually a coin of Verica (561-01) – a type-series of these was found in the Wanborough Hoard.

 

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V192-01

192 - 01    Amminius

35-38 A.D.      Extremely Rare

Silver Unit    12 mm    0.9 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Poste, 1853

 

OBV: Plant in circle

Identifying points:

     1) plant has seven stalks

     2) inscription around circle AMMINIUS

 

REV: Pegasus right

Identifying points:

     1) pellet above Pegasus

     2) inscription DVN above exergual line

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian N

 

NOTES:

  - Obverse possibly adapted from an engraved gemstone with a fruiting palm tree design.

   - Reverse adapted from a coin of Tasciovanus 1788-01, in turn adapted from a Roman denarius of P. Petronius Turpilianus, RIC I (Augustus), 115

  - Wanborough finds reported, but cannot be confirmed

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V193-01

193 - 01    Amminius

35-38 A.D.      Extremely Rare

Bronze Unit    13 mm    2.5 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Nash, 1982

 

OBV: Wreath

Identifying points:

     1) box in wreath

     2) inscription AM in wreath

 

REV: Celticized horse right

Identifying points:

     1) inscription DVNO above exergual line

     2) Horse has left front leg raised

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian N

 

NOTES:

  - Wanborough finds reported, but cannot be confirmed

  - First example was found during archaeological excavations, Cakebread Robey site, Canterbury, 1978

 

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V194-01

194 - 01    Amminius

38-40 A.D.      Extremely Rare

Silver Unit    12 mm    0.8 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Evans, 1864 (earliest correct attribution)

 

OBV: Wreath

Identifying points:

     1) circle inside wreath

     2) letter A inside circle

 

REV: Hippocamp right

Identifying points:

     1) inscription AM below hippocamp

     2) pellet border

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian O

 

NOTES:

  - Design possibly adapted from a gemstone with a hippocamp

  - Several were found in the Wanborough Hoard

  - The coin is illustrated in Petrie, 1848, and mentioned in Evans, 1854a

  - Celtic Coin Index records indicate rarer than originally thought

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V195-01

195 - 01    Amminius

38-40 A.D.      Extremely Rare

Bronze Unit    13 mm    1.5 gms.

 

Earliest Record: Smith, 1848 (but see notes)

 

OBV: Head right

Identifying points:

    1) too poorly preserved to see details

 

REV: Hippocamp right

Identifying points:

    1) as on 194-01

 

CLASSIFICATION: Cantian O

 

NOTES:

  - Head probably adapted from denarius of Augustus, but exact type not yet identified

  - Design possibly adapted from a gemstone with a hippocamp

  - First example found during archaeolgical excavations at Slade, Kent in 1842, the excavation report (Archaeologia, Vol. 29, p. 414) does not identify the coin precisely