Lot 4001
Celtic Coinage. Britain. The Cantii. 'Diras.' Gold Stater (5.53 g, 12 mm). Late 1st century B.C.-early 1st century A.D. Blank with slight banding. Reverse: Horse right, DIRAS(?) over sinuous ornament above, wheel below, pellets, pellets-in-rings and annulets in fields. CCI 6.0849 (this coin). Hobbs 2449. Van Arsdell 162. Spink 213. Extremely Fine. Of the greatest rarity: the only other recorded specimen being in the British Museum.
Neither of the extant examples of this stater display the legend completely enough to allow for a clear reading. Derek Allen's reading of "DIRAS" generally has been accepted and finds its way into most catalogs on the British Celtic series. Alternative readings of DUBRIC, DVBORIG and DIBORIG have been put forth and perhaps are more plausible. The inscription then could be interpreted as an abbreviation of the name of the Kentish ruler "Dubnovellanos" combined with his title "rig" or "ric" (Celtic for "king"). Indeed, the blank and slightly banded obverse bears a greater resemblance to the types of the Cantii than to those of the Trinovantes to which Allen assigned the coin.
For more information on the Westerham Hoards, its contents and even the finder, see Chris Rudd's article in The Celator, July 2008. The present specimen briefly held the auction price record for a British Celtic coin (£12,075) when purchased from the Morton & Eden sale in June, 2008.
Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000.
Ex Morton & Eden (in association with Sotheby's), 11-12 June 2008, lot 30. From the Westerham (Kent) Hoards, discovered 2003-6.
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| Realized $21,850 |
