Commios E-Type. Sills class 2, dies 18/29. c.50-40 BC. Gold stater. 15-17mm. 5.53g. Atrebatic wreath pattern with downward facing leaves./ Disjointed triple-tailed horse right, EI-sign above with bent middle bar, six-spoked wheel below, trefoil under head, [COM]M[IOS] around. ABC 1025, VA 352, BMC 730, S 66. CCI 09.4699 (this coin). Good VF/EF, virtually as struck in gorgeous golden gold, complete EI-sign and wheel. Ex John Follows collection. Found near Washington, West Sussex, 2005. VERY RARE only 23 others recorded.

As Dr John Sills pointed out twelve years ago, the ‘E symbol’ above the horse is actually an EI cipher, the first two letters of a personal name. In those days he wondered if it might stand for Eppillus or, if stretched to ETI, “perhaps signifying Eppillus and Tincomarus ruling together under Commios; equally it may represent an unknown ruler or moneyer called Eisu, or stand for nothing at all. But the bold A on the obverse of Commios’ quarters, probably intended to show, as we know from Caesar, that he was of Gaulish Atrebatic descent, is a useful parallel for its being a monogram of some sort” (What a difference a letter makes… Chris Rudd List 98, March 2008, p.2-3). Four years later John said: “One other possibility for the EI monogram on the coinage of Commios is that it’s a patronym. If Tincomarus and others could put the name of their father on the coins, why couldn’t Commios?” (pers.comm. 27.9.12). The most obvious name that comes to mind is Eisu (Who is E? Chris Rudd List 126, November 2012, p.2-5). There are Belgic bronze coins inscribed EIVICIACOS, c.60-50 BC (LT 7207, DT 561), but they can have no connection with Commios’ EI monogram because the legend is obviously a misspelling of Deiviciacos (LT 7717, 7729). We think Commios father was called Eisu ‘lord’, pronounced ēē-iss-oo. Follows’ superb stater displays EI with uncommon clarity. Published in Divided Kingdoms, pp.326 and 329 (this coin).