A rare coin found in Berkshire, linked to Caratacus, the Iron Age warlord, is set to be auctioned for £70,000.
Caratacus minted the coin. He was a British Iron Age warlord, blamed for the Roman invasion. Experts now call it Britain’s best Iron Age coin.
The coin’s front shows an ear of grain and has ‘Cunobelinus’ on it, honoring Caratacus’s father. The back shows a horseman with Latin writing that spells “Carat,” clearly identifying Caratacus as the creator.
Someone found the coin in 2019 using a detector near Newbury, Berkshire. It sold for £88,000 at auction in 2020. The starting price at the upcoming auction is £70,000, and the coin will be on SGBaldwins.com March 12.
Caratacus expanded his tribe’s land to include several modern counties. He fought against Roman rule for almost ten years, until the Romans defeated him in AD50 at Caer Caradoc.
Romans captured Caratacus after the battle. Instead of killing him, they sent him to Rome. In Rome, he spoke Latin well and praised the Roman army and their win.
Because of his speech, he got a pardon and was given a villa in Rome for him and his family. A book from 1864 considered Caratacus coins doubtful, however, their existence was previously questioned.
Dominic Chorney, working at Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s, said this coin is unique and important. They are excited to auction it, considering it a beautiful piece of British history.
The auction will be at 399 Strand, starting on March 12. Collectors and historians will likely show interest in this historically significant and rare coin. Other coins will also be available.