Weald Net. Sills class 1a, rev.die 3. c.50-40 BC. Gold stater. 18mm. 5.71g. Plain obverse./ Horse left, ribbed neck, beaded mane, annulate on shoulder, pellet under tail, S-rings motif above, rhomboidal fishing net below, ringed-pellets and pellets around. ABC 177, VA 144, BMC 2466, DK 59 (this coin). S 169. CCI 04.3005 (this coin). Good EF, a scintillating, well centred example, neat round flan of resplendent rose-gold, virtually as minted with unblemished surfaces, complete net. Easily the best we’ve had of this type. Ex John Follows collection. Found Thurnham, Kent, January 2004. VERY RARE only 19 others recorded. EXCESSIVELY RARE reverse die, only one other.

Aesthetically, Follows’ stupendous stempelglanz Weald Net stater is highly seductive – the finest of its kind we’ve ever set eyes on. Numismatically, it is highly significant. Not only is it the first gold stater struck in Cantion; it is also the premier piece in one of Britain’s first denominational suites minted in gold, silver and bronze. Symbolically, this superb fleur de coin stater is all about power. The plain obverse, a golden sun disc, signifies sky power. The golden sun-horse is symbolic of land power. The latticed fishing net, perhaps inspired by le filet triangulaire quadrille of Parisian gold staters, speaks of sea power and river power. And the S-rings above the horse… well, we aren’t certain what this motif is meant to convey. There’s an S-shape concealed in those two ringed-pellets. Maybe a lightning flash, another sign of sky power? Numismatically, it’s very interesting because S-rings and other S-symbols occur on various early coins north of the Thames; when considered in conjunction with other Cantian symbols found north of the Thames and some Inverted Leg potins (Holman G4/6, 1a and 2a) found north of the Thames, it seems plausible that two early Cantian colonies were established north of the Thames. See lots 32 and 33 (both have S-symbols) and Chris Rudd, When Kent invaded Essex, Coin News, June 2016, p.45-47. Nine years ago we sold a Late Weald Net gold stater (ABC 180) for £7,200. Follows’ better styled, better engraved, better centred stater is even nicer to behold. Published by Dr John Sills in Divided Kingdoms, p.35 (illustrated) and pp.45 and 89 (this coin).