Catuvellauni & Trinovantes Cunobelinus c. AD 8-40 Classic Left Type Gold Stater *Scarce*

Catuvellauni & Trinovantes Cunobelinus c. AD 8-40 Classic Left Type Gold Stater

Neat corn ear (barley) with central stalk with symmetrical grain pairs, pronounced bristles from every grain. Inscription(CA M) either side. At base of stalk inverted arc with twin scrolls.

Naturalistic horse prancing left, fine pellet mane. Floral motif (stalk with thistle head between two leaves) above. Inscription (CVNO) on exergual line below.

Minted at Camulodunum, modern-day Colchester, United Kingdom

Extremely Rare, 19 known.

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ABC 2804; 19mm, 5.41g

Evans: IX.3 (1864, p. 297, pl. IX).

Allen: Classic B.

Van Arsdell Classification: Trinovantian X, Coinage of Cunobeline, Expansion Period (Light Staters), Classic Type Gold Coins.

Sills DK 571 (2 obverse, 4 reverse dies): North Thames Coinage; Type: Cunobelinus; Staters: Class 8 – Classic Left. The floral emblem suggests this is posthumous and may have been issued by Caratacus or Togodumnus, with the latter issuing DVBN quarters (ABC 3008). The few posthumous coins issued of this and Crescent (ABC 2801) suggest Cunobelin died shortly before the Claudian invasion.

Sills chronology: Gallo-Belgic Ca – British G (Early Clacton) / Aa Westerham – British La (Whaddon Chase) – British Lb (Westbury) – Addedomaros – Dubnovellaunos – Tasciovanos – Cunobelinus (Biga – Linear – Wild – Plastic – Classic).

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 PT Nov 1996. CCI 15.0215 VA 2029-1 var.

This coin comes with a previous label.

 

Cunobelin (c. AD 10–40)

Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, based on his extensive bronze coinage Cunobelin appears to have been a son of Tasciovanos – where he is often styled ‘CVNOBELINI TASCIOVANI F’ (Cunobelin, Son of Tasciovanos). Writing in the early 1st century AD, the Roman historian Suetonius erroneously refers to Cunobelin as ‘Brittanorum Rex’ – King of the Britons. While this may exaggerate his power and influence somewhat, it is evident that he was viewed by the Romans as a key figure within the region. He was potentially sponsored or endorsed in some way by Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Indeed, like Verica, many of his coins (especially those of silver and bronze) show high levels of classical influence.

As a ruler in his own right, Cunobelin’s first act seems to have been to finish the task begun by his father, definitively exerting control over both Camulodunon and the Trinovantian territory surrounding it. Numismatic evidence for this can be found in the prolific quantities of gold staters and quarter-staters he struck at the settlement, which depict a corn-ear flanked by the inscription ‘CAMV’. Having solidified his holdings north of the Thames, it seems that Cunobelin extended his influence into Kent. Indeed, many of his coins are found there, as are those of his probable son – Adminius (Amminus). The subsequent power vacuum caused by his death in AD 40, followed by a brief period of instability which seems to have manifested across much of eastern and southern Britain, would be quickly filled following the Claudian invasion of AD 43 – an event which changed Britain forever.