Westerham North gold staters were among the earliest gold staters minted north of the Channel, which is why they are so heavy and of such fine gold. Dr John Sills believes that they were struck by order of Cassivellaunos, commander in chief of the British forces against Julius Caesar in 54 BC. They were evidently made in a hurry, which is why most of them are off-centre and struck on irregular flans like this one. An opportunity to purchase an exciting piece of ancient British history. Dr John Sills says: “The north Thames Westerham series seems to have been struck at a western and an eastern mint; this example is from the eastern one, and is only the third example from this obverse die.  The reverse die appears to be unrecorded, but the coin is so far off-centre that it is difficult to be certain; apart from the pellets only the horse's neck is visible!  Two unusual features suggest that it may have been struck from recut dies.  The obverse has the faint outline of an extra hair curl above the tip of the central bar, and on the reverse part of a shallow, raised dome can be seen running through the pellets; the latter in particular suggests the erasure of an earlier design.  All of this, together with the eccentric striking, is consistent with emergency production at a time of crisis.”  Chris Rudd November list.                        5.11.07