Chris Rudd

Auction 171  –  19 July 2020

Chris Rudd, Auction 171

Celtic Coins - The John Follows Collection Part 3

Su, 19.07.2020, from 6:00 PM CEST
The auction is closed.

Description

SS Type. Sills class 1, dies 1/2. c.55-45 BC. Gold stater. 18-21mm. 5.59. Two reversed S-shapes on lightly banded flan./ Annulate horse right, beaded mane, above: wing motif and pellet triad, four-spoked wheel below. ABC 2237, VA 1509, BMC 350, DK 445, S 34. CCI 19.2936 (this coin). EF/Good VF, large flan of rose gold, well centred SS, bold horse. Ex John Follows collection. VERY RARE only 16 others recorded including the British Museum’s, EXCESSIVELY RARE reverse die, only one other recorded.

The fact that the SS Type has banding on the obverse is an indication of Cantian influence. In fact we and Dr John Sills believe it is one of several pieces of numismatic evidence that a ruler in Kent crossed the Thames and established a Cantian ‘colony’ in Essex. Sills believes that the SS may refer to the Segontiaci, one of the five tribes that surrendered to Caesar in 54 BC when he was in the region. For the full story see When Kent invaded Essex, Coin News, June 20156, p.45-47. Follows’ enormous SS stater – the largest we’ve seen – shows the all-important SS motif very clearly at the centre of the big banded flan and, considering that Geoff Cottam’s SS stater sold for £9,000 five years ago (Spink 2.12.2015, lot 238), Follows’ excellent example looks amazingly good value for money. “Exceptionally sharp obverse” says Sills, and “only one other from this reverse die” (pers.comm. 1.3.2016).

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Bidding

Price realized 4'400 GBP
Starting price 2'000 GBP
Estimate 2'500 GBP
The auction is closed.
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