COIN

A late Iron Age, 1st century BC copper alloy flat linear class I potin dating from 60-45 BC. Holman C4/1-1c and Allen type GA and ABC 166.

Obv: Linear head with neckline, eye composed of three pellets in a triangular arrangement, no eye ring.

Rev: Linear bull, exergual line below, two crescents separate from tail above.

Dimensions: diameter: 19.62mm, weight: 2.38g

Holman (2016:29) writes "This rare subgroup, which currently contains only type C4/1, corresponding with Allen GA, displays a head with three pellets in a triangular formation representing the eye but no eye ring, leading to it usually being referred to as the 'Three Dots' type. The reverses are virtually identical to those seen in C3/1, which clearly provided the immediate prototype. Striations are nearly always present. For the sake of consistency, consideration was given to splitting these coins into two subtypes along the same lines as C3/1, i.e., depending on the style of the bull. However, the flans are always neat rather than rough, even for a specimen on which the legs of the bull are well apart. It has therefore been concluded that, being a derivative issue with probably a very short lifespan rather than a longer term evolution, only one subtype is represented. Diameters are usually 17.0-17.5 mm (mean 17.2 mm) and weights 1.7-2.3 g (mean 2.0 g). All known specimens have an axis of 90 degrees. The distribution of this subgroup is primarily confned to the Birchington and Thurnham hoards, which account for half the known examples. It is also known from the Snettisham and Sunbury hoards but single fnds are very few in number."

References: Holman, D. 2016. 'A new classification system for the Flat Linear potin coinage', British Numismatic Journal 86, 1-67.

Hobbs, R. 1996. British Iron Age Coins in the British Museum. British Museum Press: London.

Coin references

No coin references available.