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Here's a lovely Cunobelinus
Linear gold stater with a clear
X under CA. They don't come much
better than this and it's a
Scarce type.
Rainer Kretz says: “A nice
example of a Linear-type stater,
quite different to the one
offered in Chris Rudd
List
110, no. 46. This variant is
distinguished by having a small
X below the CA on the obverse
and a tiny pellet above the
letter M, both probably
representing some kind of privy
mark put there by the die
cutter/mint master to identify
the output from this particular
die. The ubiquitous palm branch
above the horse, which forms a
feature of almost all of the
‘corn ear’ series appears to
have been of considerable
symbolic significance, having
been directly inherited from
Dubnovellaunos’ Trinovantian
stater (VA 1650/1655) who in
turn had borrowed it from one of
Addedomaros’ staters (VA 1635).
Thirty-five years ago, Allen in
his important paper ‘Cunobelin’s
gold’ (Britannia 6, 1-19) placed
the Linear type at the start of
the famous ‘corn ear’ series of
staters, a position that has
remained unchallenged to this
day. The obverse was struck from
Allen’s die G, while the reverse
die was unknown at the time he
wrote Cunobelin’s Gold.
For another spectacular coin
(CCI 00.1532) from the same dies
see Chris Rudd List
54, no. 75.”
Chris Rudd May list.
4.5.10 |
