Great Britain Gold

Lot 2618    SESSION 10 (7.30PM WEDNESDAY 20TH NOV)    Great Britain Gold

Estimate $1,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,900

ANCIENT BRITISH, Celtic plain type ring money, struck in Britain, 1200-100 B.C., (12.23 g), 17mm, (S.-; Van Arsdell 1-3). Good very fine and very rare.

Ex Mark E. Freehill Collection, and previously from Noble Numismatics Sale 53 (lot 906).
This lot comes with an old cardboard ticket from Fulwood Park, stating "This gold ring money was found between Boyle and Longford in making the railway between those towns in 1866. Bought in by Chas. Morgan and from him to me for £2 (value by standard about 38/-)" and signed Robert Trimble.
This is the earliest form of money used in Britain for which no contemporary account exist. Rings like this are known from Bronze age contexts, about 1000 B.C., or perhaps earlier. The earlier pieces may have been used as ornaments but their use as money probably dates from the second century B.C. This piece is of gold and is very rare, a small number are known to have been plated.