Excessively Rare Trinovantian 'Thatcher's Sister' North Thames AR Unit
Silver, 1.06 grams, 13.05 mm. Late Whaddon Chase type, 45-40 BC. Obverse: abstract female head right with a long pointed nose, birds/animals in front of head, four groups of curves for hair. Reverse: annulate horse right with a cabled main, bird above degraded from the mid Whaddon Chase type. Celtic Coin Index Registration Number at Oxford University: CCI 08.TBA. VA. 1558-1; BMC. 376; Ev. L14; M. 375; Not in Coins of England. Extremely fine.
Dr. John Sills of the Celtic Coin Index at Oxford University writes: "There are ten other examples recorded in the Index, this is one of the three best best coins."
Chris Rudd, Celtic coin specialist writes: "This is unquestionably one of the most striking profiles ever stamped onto an iron age coin.... is especially interesting because it reveals two features not normally seen: firstly, three little ringed pellets under the neck, suggestive perhaps of a beaded necklace; secondly, a crescentic crest behind the three large locks of hair, indicative maybe of a plumed headdress or helmet decoration. Apart from its hooves, the horse is entirety with a stylised bucranium above it. In terms of pre-Roman artistic merit, never mind rarity, this is a coin not to be missed."