Tring Wheel. Sills dies 7/7. c.55-45 BC. Gold quarter stater. 12-14mm. 1.29g. Wreath design with corded and pelleted wreathband, hairbar with ringed-pellets, hidden face and ornate cloak, beaded border./ Triple-tailed annulate horse right, with roll-up beaded mane, belt around lower neck, bifurcated inner rear leg, six-spoked chariot wheel above with crescent to left, and small ring to right, cogwheel sun below, small ring in beaded ring behind, beaded border. ABC 2228, VA−, BMC−, DK 477 (this coin), S−. CCI 09.5492 (this coin). Virtually as minted with every detail clearly defined, full hidden face, complete cloak motif. Found by Lisa Grace, near Market Rasen, Lincs., February 2010. Rare - 14 others known, including two in museums. Ex John Follows collection. Images: © Chris Rudd Ltd, www.celticcoins.com

The ‘hidden face’ and cloak-lines are uncommonly well displayed. The triple-tailed sun-horse is unusually well ornamented. Note how the horse’s rolled-up mane seems to be pulling the spoked sun-wheel behind it. This Tring Wheel is one of the finest known. Dr John Sills illustrated it in Divided Kingdoms, p.488 and also listed it twice, pp.500 and 516 (this coin). Also published by Lisa Grace in her article in The Searcher, August 2010, front cover and p.15, fig.4 (this coin). Not in Van Arsdell, not in Spink Coins of England and not one in the British Museum.



ABC 2228 - Quarter-Stater, British Qc [Remic type], devolved head of Apollo, rev. triple-tailed horse right, eight-spoked wheel above, cog-wheel below, 1.29g/6h (ABC 2228; BMC –; VA –; S –). Images courtesy of DNW.