Corded Crescents. c.55-45 BC. Gold quarter stater. 9mm. 1.03g. Two snakelike corded crescents, forming six hidden faces, double ring above and below with three corded lines./ Lanky annulate belted horse right, ringed-pellet above, two rings below, beaded ring in front. ABC−, VA−, BMC−, DK 289, S−. CCI 12.0386 (this coin). Good EF, neat flan of rich rose-gold, sharp strike, bonny horse. Ex John Follows collection. Found near Newbury, Berkshire. EXCESSIVELY RARE only two others recorded

The die reconstruction shown (see full catalogue) makes it clear that there are six partially concealed ‘spirit faces’, all stylised, on John Follows’ excessively rare and most crisply struck Corded Crescents gold quarter. Two of the faces (nos. 1 and 2) use the corded crescents as a moustache, two others (nos. 3 and 4) use it as an ‘eyebrow’ that has slipped down. Surreal faces such as these come from a long Celtic tradition of hiding faces - human, animal, bird - on flagons, bowls, scabbards, terrets and mirrors. See Hidden faces on Celtic coins, Coin News, November 2019, p.41-43. Published in Divided Kingdoms, pp.238 and 256 (this coin). Not in ABC, VA, BMC nor Spink.