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Celtic & Iron Age

The collection consists of c. 2500 Iron Age coins. It is particularly strong for Britain, thanks to the Arthur Evans and John Talbot collections with their numerous gold coins, and for Gaul, thanks to the largely bronze collection formed by Derek Allen. The Iron Age collection is of significance for the development of the subject. Sir John Evans, some of whose coins are preserved in the collection of his son Arthur, was a pioneering figure in the field of prehistoric numismatics and was the first person to devise a systematic classification of British Iron Age coinage. Derek Allen was likewise a key figure in the study of ‘Celtic’ numismatics. The collection has historically been referred to as ‘Celtic and Iron Age’, defined as the non-Roman coins found in Britain and the Continent at the end of prehistory. Current scholarship argues against the use of the term Celtic to describe the pre-Roman Iron Age peoples of Britain; we retain the use of it solely for historic reasons.

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52963)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Tasciovanos

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

Wreath crossed by line, hooks and pellets in angles

Reverse

VER or VIR, Boar right, (occ. left), crescent above, VER or VIR below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52964)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Tasciovanos

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

Wreath crossed by line, hooks and pellets in angles

Reverse

VER or VIR, Boar right, (occ. left), crescent above, VER or VIR below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52965)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Tasciovanos

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

TASC, Head right, TASC in front

Reverse

VER or VIR, Mythical creature (winged horse) left, trefoil above, VER or VIR below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52966)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Tasciovanos

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

TASC, TASC in panel on vertical wreath

Reverse

Horse left (hippocampus?)

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52985)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Tasciovanos

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

TASCIO, Eagle standing left, TASCIO around

Reverse

Mythical creature (griffin) right, three pellets below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52994)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Tasciovanos

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

Lion right, head turned back, pellet border

Reverse

Helmeted (?) mythical creature (sphinx) left, pellet border

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53052)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 40

Obverse

Four opposed crescents (two solid and two outline with ‘eyelashes’), in centre of crossed wreaths, V-shape and ring in opposing quarters

Reverse

Horse right, solid Y-shaped head, corded mane, floral motif below, pellet triad and three plain arcs above

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53058)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 40

Obverse

Stylised boar right, often with pellet (eye?) on shoulder, single front leg, spear in front piercing ears, pellet rosette motif or rings of pellets above, pellet below

Reverse

Horse prancing right, pellet triads either side of wheel above, pellet triads below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53060)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Stater

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

Pellet cross, pellet in ring at centre

Reverse

Horse right, large open head, pellet triad and crown (?) motif of pelleted or corded lines above, two pellets in each sector; four or eight-spoked wheel below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53061)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 40

Obverse

Stylised boar right, often with pellet (eye?) on shoulder, single front leg, spear in front piercing ears, pellet rosette motif or rings of pellets above, pellet below

Reverse

Horse prancing right, pellet triads either side of wheel above, pellet triads below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53062)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Half unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 40

Obverse

Stylised boar right, pellet (eye?) on shoulder, S-shaped tail, single front leg, long bristles on back with rings above, spear in front, one or more pellets below

Reverse

Horse right, solid head, rein from chest to nose, ‘stickman’ shape below, pellet triad either side of pellet in ring above

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53063)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 40

Obverse

Stylised boar right, often with pellet (eye?) on shoulder, single front leg, spear in front piercing ears, pellet rosette motif or rings of pellets above, pellet below

Reverse

Horse prancing right, pellet triads either side of wheel above, pellet triads below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53064)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

Head right, herringbone hair, large oval eye, another eye in front of mouth

Reverse

Horse right, double upper left front leg, large open head with flame from mouth, mane plain or beaded, pellet in ring below, above: pellet triad either side of pellet in ring

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR53066)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 40

Obverse

Opposing crescents and pellet in ring motifs at centre of four corn ears, pellet triad in each quarter

Reverse

Horse left, occ. six pellets on shoulder, solid Y-shaped head, six-spoked wheel and plain arc above, pellet in ring below

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR772222)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Person

Eppillus

Denom.

Unit

Dating

20 BC—AD 10

Obverse

REX CALLE (occ. CALL), Outline crescent, REX above, CALLE (occ. CALL) below

Reverse

Spread eagle right, EPP behind, occ. two joined pellet in rings in front

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR6295)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

10 BC—AD 20

Obverse

Moon head right, pellet triads for hair, pellet in ring for eye, cross and pellet in ring below, pellets in arcs behind, stalk lips

Reverse

Triple-tailed annulate horse left, three petal ‘flower’ motif below, crescent and winged pellet in ring motif above

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52787)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

10 BC—AD 20

Obverse

Moon head right, pellet triads for hair, pellet in ring for eye, cross and pellet in ring below, pellets in arcs behind, stalk lips

Reverse

Triple-tailed annulate horse left, pellet in ring and three petal ‘flower’ below, cross and winged pellet in ring motif above

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52789)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

10 BC—AD 20

Obverse

Moon head right, represented by nose and stalk lips, ring for eye and other rings behind, crescents and pellet rosettes in front, cross below lips

Reverse

V, Horse right, large cross below with small crosses and other motifs in angles, V below tail, cruciform pattern of ring and crescents above

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52790)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

10 BC—AD 20

Obverse

Moon head right, represented by nose and stalk lips, ring for eye and other rings behind, crescents and pellet rosettes in front, cross below lips

Reverse

V, Horse right, large cross below with small crosses and other motifs in angles, V below tail, cruciform pattern of ring and crescents above

Iron Age ('Celtic') coin (HCR52792)

Period

Iron Age (Europe)

Denom.

Unit

Dating

10 BC—AD 20

Obverse

Moon head right, pellet triads for hair, pellet in ring for eye, cross and pellet in ring below, pellets in arcs behind, stalk lips

Reverse

Triple-tailed annulate horse left, three petal ‘flower’ motif below, crescent and winged pellet in ring motif above