Coins were an area of collecting that never appealed to me. There are too many types of coins! Eras, currencies - where do you start, where do you end? That all changed when I worked with a colleague who was a coin collector and a very passionate detectorist. Monday mornings usually involved an excited show-and-tell, like a Roman denarius unearthed from a local field, accompanied by theories about its past based on where it was found, perhaps as a soldier's pay. It completely changed my perspective.
The Auction Room Report: Auctionets specialist Kayleigh Davies shares her thoughts on highlightes items.
This gold stater at Lawrences Auctioneers offers a glimpse into Britain's early coinage. Part of a hoard discovered in 2022, it likely dates back to the first half of the first century BC. The first coins used in Britain were imported in the second century BC, and domestic production began shortly afterwards. This makes the stater a very early example of British-made currency.
The word ‘stater’ comes from the Greek word for ‘weight,’ and the idea was adopted by the Celts from the ancient Greeks. Initially, historians believe these gold staters served primarily as 'war money,' used for paying troops. Many in Iron Age Britain relied on barter for daily transactions, along with base metal coins, but gold staters were the currency of the wealthy.
Some historians suggest these early coins might have played a more significant role in trade than previously thought, and if this is the case, this piece is more than just an early coin, but the very beginning of a huge change in British society: the initial step towards a cash-based economy. It’s quite a thought as we are beginning to step away from this now, two millennia later.
Explore the Coins, Medals & Stamps category
If you weren’t already a coin lover, I hope this has changed your mind too. It’s really quite special to be able to handle such ancient history.
){kind=spacer}
