Ancient Gold Coins - Sold Archives - Silbury Coins

Iceni 1st Century BC Norfolk Wolf Right Type Gold Stater Scarce

Nadine — Tue, 12 May 2026 12:32:25 +0000

Iceni 1st Century BC Norfolk Wolf Right Type Gold Stater

Wreath, cloak and crescents/Wolf right, jaws open, bird on back and pellets, pellet and crescent below, beaded exergual loop

Scarce

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ABC 1393; 17mm, 6.15g

well struck on a broad flan, full wolf and surrounding detail clear. Obverse off struck but as a result full hair detail shows, a premium coin

Provenance

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

M Vosper, 1997. Found north of Ely, Norfolk VA 610-1

This coin comes with a previous label.

Iceni

The Iceni, who largely inhabited modern Norfolk, represent what is probably Iron Age Britain’s best known tribal confederation. Thanks to the efforts of their last ruler, Boudicca, they have truly earned their place in the annals of British history. Representing a potent symbol of resistance against Roman rule, they have been wholly immortalised via contemporary culture – featuring widely in art, television and even through the medium of video games. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that there is much more to the Iceni than their swansong, a final hurrah pitched against the inevitability of Roman victory in Britain.

This was a land of skilled metalworkers in both gold and bronze, as evidenced by finds like the Snettisham torcs and the recent carnyx (war trumpet) discovered near Thetford, cunningly crafted in sheet-metal. Hoards of horse gear, such as bridle fittings and terret rings, are increasingly common here, showing an adherence to local art styles well into the later 1st and even earlier 2nd centuries AD.

Our knowledge of Icenian coinage has been much advanced in recent years by Dr John Talbot, whose extensive publication of the series represents one of the few truly up-to-date syntheses of an entire, regional Iron Age coinage. The sequence begins with two iconic gold stater types. Perhaps most famous of these is the so-called ‘Norfolk Wolf’ (ABC 1393,1396,1399/BMC 212–78). This type, on which the reverse wolf faces either left or right, is one of only a very few Iron Age coins to feature canids. The second of the iconic Icenian staters is the extensive ‘Freckenham’ series and its variants (e.g. ABC 1426/BMC 3396–3404). Named after an 1885 hoard of ninety such coins, found in the village of Freckenham, Suffolk, these types generally depict a large, rose-like flower in the middle of their obverse faces, set at the centre of a four-spoked wheel. Accompanying these are varying types of uninscribed quarter-staters, most common of which is the so-called ‘Irstead’ type with its distinctive lattice-square obverse motif. Other uninscribed quarter-staters vary from rare to extremely rare, the latter best exemplified by the so-called ‘Mildenhall Mystery’ (ABC 1489).

While extensive, the Icenian gold issues are nevertheless dwarfed by the sheer variety of silver coinages present, which utterly predominate in regard to the site-finds generally recovered by detectorists and archaeologists alike. Iconography varies considerably on these. Most developed are the ‘Bury Diadem’ and ‘Bury Helmet’ type units (e.g. ABC 1495/1498/BMC 3524–32), which have obverses depicting scowling female helmeted busts. The stylistic links between these and Roman republican denarii of the late 2nd and early 1st century BC are uncanny, suggesting these formed the prototypes for Icenian die-cutters. Subsequent types depicting human busts are distinctly more crude, such as the ‘Odin Eye’ and its derivatives (ABC 1537/BMC 3538–39) – the lips now amusingly exaggerated and the hair coarsely braided.

A subsequent coinage where the human bust is replaced by a boar, what John Talbot generally refers to as the ‘boar-horse’ series (e.g. ABC 1579/BMC 3455–72), marks the beginning of coin-design standardisation. These in turn are superseded by the most common Icenian silver coins of all, which depict a pair of opposed crescents on the obverse and a prancing horse on the reverse. Examples of this highly variable general type (e.g. ABC 1660, 1663, 1699, 1702) are prolific. Text is now added wholesale to coin designs, with lettering of varying kinds appearing on this issue. Those present include the inscriptions ECE, ECEN, EDN, ANTED, AESU and SAENU, amongst others. Are these rulers, moneyers, officials, traders, mint-names, total gibberish or simply imitations of Latin inscriptions? The answer may simultaneously lie in any or all of these areas, though John Talbot favours the idea that they are personal names. What we do know for certain is that these coinages were produced in very large quantities at multiple mints, and that they turn up in hoards accompanied by worn Republican denarii and early Imperial issues. On the basis of the latter, their manufacture and deposition can probably be assigned to the first few decades of the 1st century AD.

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Leo I AD 457-474 Gold Solidus Constantinople

Nadine — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:35:38 +0000

Leo I AD 457-474 Gold Solidus

Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing/Victory holding cross holding long jewelled cross

Constantinople mint

RCV21404, 4.38g, 20mm

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Theodosius I AD 379-395 Gold Solidus Trier

Nadine — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:48:12 +0000

Theodosius I AD 379-395 Gold Solidus

Bust right / Two emperors

Trier mint

A most pleasing example, little wear and good detail throughout.

RCV20409; 20mm, 4.47g

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Faustina Junior wife of Marcus Aurelius AD 161-180 Gold Aureus Rome mint

Nadine — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:43:56 +0000

Faustina Junior, wife of Marcus Aurelius AD 161-180 Gold Aureus

Draped bust right/Dove standing right CONCORDIA

Rome mint

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RCV4689 var, 19mm, 7.40g

A wonderful coin with little wear and much lustre to surfaces.

ex Morton & Eden 100 / L343

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Byzantine Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AD 610-641 Gold Solidus Constantinople

Nadine — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:41:52 +0000

Byzantine Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AD 610-641 Gold Solidus

Crowned bust of emperors/Cross potent on steps

Constantinople mint

4.52g, 19mm

Heraclius was one of the greatest of the Byzantine rulers as well as the founder of a remarkable dynasty. Under the previous emperor, Phocas, the empire dissolved into Civil War and came close to complete disintegration being threatened on all sides. In AD 608 Heraclius, who at that time was the Exarch of Carthage, raised a rebellion against Phocas. Two years later Heraclius Constanine, son of Heraclius, reached Constantinople executing Phocas and putting an end to his reign.
Heraclius was crowned emperor in AD 610 and his first task was to reorganize the administration. A system of military government was introduced which extended across the empire eventually forming the backbone of the Byzantine State. Heraclius also changed the official language of the empire from Latin to Greek. In AD 622 Heraclius began a counter offensive against his enemies. Often leading his troops in battle the Avars were eventually driven back from Constantinople with both their fleet and army being virtually annihilated. The Persians as well as the Sassanian Empire, both great rivals, were also thrown back and their king Khusru II was deposed and murdered. Amidst great rejoicing Heraclius reinstated the Holy Cross to Jerusalem.
The sons of Heraclius, Heraclius Constantine and Heraclonas, were made associate emperors in AD 613 and AD 638 respectively. This aureus depicts the 3 emperors and was minted shortly before Heraclius died in AD 641.
Heraclius lived long enough to see some of his work undone as the closing years of his reign saw the first dynamic expansion of Muslim power with the loss of Syria and Palestine.

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Byzantine Heraclius AD 610-641 Gold Solidus Carthage

Nadine — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:41:52 +0000

Byzantine Heraclius AD 610-641 Gold Solidus

Facing busts of Two emperors / Cross potent on steps

Carthage

4.49g, 11mm

Heraclius was one of the greatest of the Byzantine rulers as well as the founder of a remarkable dynasty. Under the previous emperor, Phocas, the empire dissolved into Civil War and came close to complete disintegration being threatened on all sides. In AD 608 Heraclius, who at that time was the Exarch of Carthage, raised a rebellion against Phocas. Two years later Heraclius Constantine, son of Heraclius, reached Constantinople executing Phocas and putting an end to his reign.
Heraclius was crowned emperor in AD 610 and his first task was to reorganize the administration. A system of military government was introduced which extended across the empire eventually forming the backbone of the Byzantine State. Heraclius also changed the official language of the empire from Latin to Greek. In AD 622 Heraclius began a counter offensive against his enemies. Often leading his troops in battle the Avars were eventually driven back from Constantinople with both their fleet and army being virtually annihilated. The Persians as well as the Sassanian Empire, both great rivals, were also thrown back and their king Khusru II was deposed and murdered. Amidst great rejoicing Heraclius reinstated the Holy Cross to Jerusalem.
The sons of Heraclius, Heraclius Constantine and Heraclonas, were made associate emperors in AD 613 and AD 638 respectively. This aureus depicts the 3 emperors and was minted shortly before Heraclius died in AD 641.
Heraclius lived long enough to see some of his work undone as the closing years of his reign saw the first dynamic expansion of Muslim power with the loss of Syria and Palestine.

The post Byzantine Heraclius AD 610-641 Gold Solidus Carthage appeared first on Silbury Coins.

Byzantine Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AD 610-641 Gold Solidus Constantinople

Nadine — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:09:56 +0000

Byzantine Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AD 610-641 Gold Solidus

Crowned bust of emperors/Cross potent

Constantinople mint

4.49g, 21mm

A high grade example, well struck and centred on a large flan with little wear, a premium coin.

View Video Here

Heraclius was one of the greatest of the Byzantine rulers as well as the founder of a remarkable dynasty. Under the previous emperor, Phocas, the empire dissolved into Civil War and came close to complete disintegration being threatened on all sides. In AD 608 Heraclius, who at that time was the Exarch of Carthage, raised a rebellion against Phocas. Two years later Heraclius Constantine, son of Heraclius, reached Constantinople executing Phocas and putting an end to his reign.
Heraclius was crowned emperor in AD 610 and his first task was to reorganize the administration. A system of military government was introduced which extended across the empire eventually forming the backbone of the Byzantine State. Heraclius also changed the official language of the empire from Latin to Greek. In AD 622 Heraclius began a counter offensive against his enemies. Often leading his troops in battle the Avars were eventually driven back from Constantinople with both their fleet and army being virtually annihilated. The Persians as well as the Sassanian Empire, both great rivals, were also thrown back and their king Khusru II was deposed and murdered. Amidst great rejoicing Heraclius reinstated the Holy Cross to Jerusalem.
The sons of Heraclius, Heraclius Constantine and Heraclonas, were made associate emperors in AD 613 and AD 638 respectively. This aureus depicts the 3 emperors and was minted shortly before Heraclius died in AD 641.
Heraclius lived long enough to see some of his work undone as the closing years of his reign saw the first dynamic expansion of Muslim power with the loss of Syria and Palestine.

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BYZANTINE Constans II AD 641-668 Gold Solidus Carthage

Nadine — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:48:38 +0000

BYZANTINE Constans II AD 641-668 Gold Solidus

Facing bust beardless / Cross on steps

Carthage

10mm, 4.40g

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Trajan AD 98-117 Gold Aureus Rome

Nadine — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 10:45:46 +0000

Trajan AD 98-117 Gold Aureus

Laureate bust right/Fortuna standing with rudder on prow and cornucopiae

Rome mint.

RCV3094; 19mm, 7.30g

A most pleasing coin with little wear and attractive surfaces.

View Video Here

Trajan was born in Spain around AD 53. Trajan had a military career as a young man and as a legionary commander in AD 88/89 he was involved in the suppression of a revolt in Upper Germany. In AD 91 he held his first consulship before being adopted as heir to Nerva in AD 97. The next year he was crowned emperor.
Trajan’s reign is one of military glory and conquest. He did not conceal his ambition to emulate Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. One of Trajan’s main conquests was the Kingdom of Dacia in AD 107. This achievement was commemorated by the erection of Trajan’s column in Rome. Trajan later went on to conquer Arabia although his main ambition was to destroy Rome’s great rival the Parthian Kingdom in Persia. However, his failing health and a Jewish revolt forced him to abandon this project and Trajan died on his way back to Rome in AD 117.
Trajan issued coinage on a vast scale commemorating not only his military victories but also other achievements. It was during Trajan’s reign that coinage issued prior to Nero was demonetized and melted down. In doing so a series of restoration coins were produced reviving some of the principal Republican denarius types as well as aurei which commemorate certain rulers in Rome’s past.

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Magnus Maximus AD 383-388 Gold Solidus Trier

Nadine — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 12:02:35 +0000

Magnus Maximus AD 383-388 Gold Solidus

Laureate bust right / Maximus in military attire standing holding labarum and Victory on globe, SMTR in exergue.

Trier mint.

A rare and pleasing solidus, the popular Magnus Maximus visited and ruled Britain & Gaul.

RCV20631; 21mm, 4.44g

View Video Here

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