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Gold Stater Sunflower
| Issuer | Corieltauvi tribe (Celtic Britain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 45 BC - 10 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Stater (1) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Stylised and highly abstracted Celtic interpretation of a laureate head in the field, rendered as a radiate sunflower-like motif composed of a central cluster of raised oval pellets arranged in a cruciform or grid pattern, flanked by curved and comma-shaped elements. The design derives ultimately from the Philip II of Macedon stater prototype but is fully Celticised, with all figurative elements dissolved into abstract geometric forms. Leaf-like and lenticular relief forms appear at the upper left, evoking the vestiges of a wreath. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, with no inscription or legend. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Highly abstracted Celtic disjointed horse motif occupying the central field, rendered in a dynamic swirling composition of bold curvilinear lines and crescentic forms characteristic of Late Iron Age British coinage. A triskelion-like arrangement of sweeping curves dominates the centre, representing the stylised body and limbs of the horse. A pellet-in-annulet device and additional comma-shaped ornaments appear in the lower field. The border is formed by a rope-like or corded pattern of raised ridges encircling the flan. No legend or inscription is present. |
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| Additional information |
The Corieltauvi occupied a territory roughly corresponding to the modern East Midlands, and their coinage — including this stater — was never backed by any centralized administrative structure in the Roman sense. These were tribal issues, likely produced in short runs to pay warriors, seal alliances, or redistribute wealth among elites. The abstract style reflects generations of stylistic drift from original Macedonian prototypes, each copying generation compressing and fracturing the imagery further.
No mint site for Corieltauvi coinage has been definitively identified through archaeology.