Iron Age Gold Ring Money 1st Century BC

Iron Age Gold Ring Money 1st Century BC
14x15x5mm, 5.61g

Prior to the introduction of struck coinage into Celtic Europe, copper and gold rings were used as currency by Iron Age tribes. Transactions conducted by bartering goods and services, which required payment and exchange, are likely to have led to its usage. Ring money may have been worn or attached to clothing and parallels still exist in tribal regions of the world today. It was introduced to Britain in the 2nd Century BC and most examples have a copper core with strips of differing quality gold wrapped around and fused, the terminals then being capped with gold. There must have been considerable time put in to making each example in this intricate way suggesting that there was a significant meaning to them. Examples found in the rest of Europe are generally solid gold and sometimes have two or three bands stacked on top of each other.

Provenance will be provided. (Disclaimed under the Treasure Act and recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme).