An Incredibly Rare British Celtic Iron Age ‘Currency’ Sword-Bar Circa 200 BC. Made Over a Century Before the Roman Conquest, But Amazingly its Very Type Was Noted in Caeser's Writings of His time In Britannia

According to the British Museum, who have an extremely similar example, there are only a few hundred remaining in existence today in the world. All of those that have been discovered, have been uncovered from famous hordes or individual finds, usually in South Central England within the past 200 years or so.

From the ex-museum labelling on its display mounting board, this currency bar is from the Spetisbury Hoard, the Iron Age hill Fort, at Spetisbury Rings excavated in 1857. It is acknowledged that this incredible and significant piece is one of the earliest examples of ancient British currency, it is thought currency bars in the form of swords are actually the very first form of currency used in the British Isles 2,200 years ago, used to barter and trade all manner of goods, and highly prized as of exceptional value at the time. It is a form of currency that is actually mentioned in Julius Caeser's writings, following Julius Caesar's expeditions to the island of Britannia in 55 and 54 BC. An Iron Age Celtic 'Spetisbury Hoard' Sword-Shaped Currency Bar, 2nd-1st century BC. It is further believed by some that they were in the form of a sword as they were once originally a sword, but retired from combat.

A substantial long iron currency bar in the shape of a sword with the original short folded-over handle to one end; displayed in an old custom-made box housing with a recently added base and bearing old typescript 'CELTIC IRON CURRENCY BAR 2nd-1st Cent B C / See Caesar's 'De Bello Gallico' V, 12 / Circulated s. and w. Britain / Ex Snettisbury [sic] Dorset Hoard' label in four lines with inked correction to Spetisbury. 1.39 kg, 75cm including case (29 1/2"). Fair condition, held in an old museum display case with identification label.
Provenance
Ex Spetisbury, Dorset, UK, hoard, found 1857; accompanied by a copy of the Archaeological Journal 96, pp.114-131, which includes details for the find.
Literature for reference.
See Gresham, Colin A., Spetisbury Rings, Dorset, Archaeological Journal 96, pp.114-131, which includes details for this and other finds from the site; see also Smith, Reginald, Currency Bars, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, London, 2nd Series, XX, p.182 for comparison between the Spetisbury and Malvern examples; cf. British Museum, accession no.1862,0627.18 for an example from the site (acquired from J. Y. Akerman in 1862; other items were acquired in 1892 from the Durdan, Blandford collection). The name Brittannia was predominantly used to refer simply to the island of Great Britain. After the Roman conquest under the Emperor Claudius in AD 43, it came to be used to refer to the Roman province of Britain (later two provinces), which at one stage consist of part of the island of Great Britain south of Hadrian's wall. Almost every weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a good state and condition.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity

Code: 23228