Catuvellauni Tasciovanos c. 25 BC-AD 10 Verlamion  Gold Quarter Stater *Scarce*

Catuvellauni Tasciovanos c. 25 BC-AD 10  Verlamion  Gold Quarter Stater

Scarce

ABC 2598, 11mm, 1.31g

Obverse

Cruciform design with crossed wreaths of two solid lines with pellet ends either side of a corded (horizontal) or pellet (vertical) line, the vertical wreath (when central crescents standing) curved with the apex facing clockwise and the horizontal straight. The wreaths end in annulets at the outside but not the centre. Bold back-to-back solid crescents at centre, spaced widely to allow pellet line through the middle. V E R inscription in three angles and teardrop in last.

Reverse

Horse with low-slung body, widely spaced front legs, pellet mane, raised, feathered tail left. Bucranium above. TAS inscription below. Double exergual line.

Mint

VER	Verlamion, modern-day St Albans, United Kingdom (circa 20 BC – AD 43)

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Provenance

This coin is from The London Collection of Ancient British Coins. For more information click here: The London Collection – Silbury Coins : Silbury Coins.

C Rudd FPL 103, no 45 (2009).   VA1690

This coin comes with a previous label.

 

Tasciovanos (c. 25 BC–AD 10)

Following on from Addedomaros, who may or may not have been his father, we find Tasciovanos – whose coinage is some of the most complex and extensive within the North Thames series. An apparently long-lived ruler, traditional narratives of the Late Iron Age cast him as a dynamic and decisive individual who laid the groundwork for the success of his own son, Cunobelin, by extending Catavellaunian influence eastwards into East Anglia and Kent. While his coins generally take influence from indigenous art styles, some ‘classification’ is visible (though to a relatively limited degree) on specific types within his issues of silver and bronze. Some of the most impressive North Thames issues are exemplified by his gold staters, such as the ‘Tasciovanos hidden faces’ and ‘Tasciovanos warrior’ types (ABC 2553/BMC 1591–1603/ABC 2571/BMC 1615–16), both of which employ highly stylised, geometric motifs on their obverse faces. This medium also can be found on numerous examples of his bronze coinage, such as on the highly enigmatic ‘Tasciovanos Verlamio’ type. Here, the obverse depicts an eight-pointed star with the mint-name (VERLAMIO) cleverly interspersed between the points.