Potin Unit Curved Bull / Holman B5 115 BC - 100 BC

Weight

2.1 g

Diameter

16.8 mm

Thickness

NA

Material

Potin

Shape

Round (irregular)

Edge Type

NA

Technique

Cast

Front design

Crude outline head of Apollo left or right, eye ring without pellet, sometimes line down the middle of the neck.

Back design

Crude outline bull left or right, one rear leg (which joins the exergual line), usually one or two front legs but may be none at all.

Year of Minting

115 BC - 100 BC

Ruler

NA

Mint location

NA

Mint mark

NA

Orientation

3 o'clock ↑→

Inscriptions

NA

Context

Van Arsdell ‘Curved Bull’. David Holman proposes a detailed classification in A New Classification System for the Flat Linear Potin Coinage . This type corresponds with his Group B2, which derives from Group A . Holman characterises Group B as having true linear designs on both obverse and reverse, together with broad, flat and rough flans (although Group B1 retains the thick-bodied bull). There is an eye ring and usually a vertical line through the neck. There is rarely a central eye pellet. The curvilinear bull initially has two rear legs, but later types have only one rear leg which curves round to form an exergual line. The head of the bull is now a front leg. Striations very occasionally appear. Given the variability of the series, Holman suggests a degree of flexibility, where the features given are not taken to be exact. There are six subgroups in Group B, of which this is the fifth: Subgroup B5 is extremely rare, characterised by a particularly abstract bull merged with the crescents and exergual line. They are 16.5-17mm and 1.9-2.4g. Next in the chronological sequence is Holman B6 . The previous type is Holman B4 . The previous group is Holman A and the next is Holman C . Van Arsdell Classification: Cantian B, Experimental Period . Van Arsdell points out that "occasionally a coin will have an obverse cavity of a different diameter than the reverse. The upper surface of the mould is then imaged at the edge of the coin on the smaller diameter side. This is smooth, indicating a scraping motion was not used to produce the mating surfaces." His corresponding varieties are: Sprue Experimental Types: VA 110 - 01 (Holman B5/1-1): Head left, crude. Bull crude. Smaller casting sprue of c3.5mm. VA 110 - 03 (Holman B5/1-3): Head left, crude. Bull crude. Normal sprue width. This coin may represent the 'control' for the experiment in the same style as the thin sprue type. The illustrated coin is in the Portable Antiquities Scheme database ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ).

Rarity

Ultra rare

Coin type

Standard circulation

In circulation

No

Demonetized

Yes

Marketplace listings

0