Ancient British, Durotriges, Gold Quarter Stater.

Ancient British, Durotriges, Mainstream series, c. 58 BC - AD 43, gold Quarter Stater, 1.46g (ABC 2205; v. Arsdell 1225). Extremely fine.

Daphne Nash Briggs, "Reading the images on Iron-Age Coins: 1. The sun-boat and it's passengers" discusses a potential interpretation for the obverse image on quarter-staters of this type, along with the issue's purpose. She argues that it recalls the myth of the sky god's daughter, who represents the light of the sun, on her dangerous return journey to the east after setting in the west. Pursued by monsters, in this case serpent-like, she is rescued by her brothers, divine twins who are perhaps most commonly recognised by collectors of ancient coins as the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux. The suggested purpose of the issue was maritime, to pay for the transport of soldiers, supplies etc. across the channel to the front line against the Roman armies in northern Europe; a small denomination being sufficient for wages.

Viewed in isolation, it may be beyond the scope of these crudely engraved dies to attest to a link to any specific myth that the cultures of iron age Europe were familiar with. Nevertheless, it's accepted that Celtic coins are derivative of ancient Greek coin types and in specific cases, of Roman coinage. Consider this coin then alongside the following Republican issues to see similarities in the shape of the vessel, the rectangular indentations on the hull, and the broadly contemporary representation in coinage, of the Dioscuri's role as the guardian protectors of seafarers.

P. Calpurnius (Crawford 247/3)

C. Fonteius (Crawford 290/1)

Q. Lutatius Cerco (Crawford 305/1)

Mn. Fonteius (Crawford 307/1)

Mn. Fonteius (Crawford 353/3) where the Dioscuri are represented in a highly stylised manner as two star-topped pilei.