THE PREHISTORIC PERIOD As already observed the indigenous coinage of this country, belong- ing to a period anterior to the complete subjugation of Britain by the Romans, is well represented in Hertfordshire. Before considering the coins themselves, and the light that they throw upon history, it will be well to say a few words as to the origin of the art of coinage and the course of its introduction into Britain, although I have treated of the whole subject in great detail elsewhere. 1 Coins, that is to say pieces of metal of a certain weight and fineness guaranteed by a duly authorized stamp, were first issued in Greece and Asia Minor not earlier than the seventh century B.C., and for a long period they were in the main confined to silver, bronze, and electrum, an alloy of gold and silver. About the year B.C. 356 Philip II. of Macedon, acquired the rich gold mines of Crenides (or Philippi), and shortly afterwards issued gold coins to the value of nearly 250,000 annually. These coins, which weighed about 133 grains troy each, were known as Philippi and were diffused through the whole of Greece and her colonies, while barbarians who came in contact with Greek civilization seem to have seized upon them as objects for imitation. In Gaul, on the Mediterranean coast of which were several Greek colonies, this seems to have been especially the case ; and the whole of the early gold coinage of that country may be said to consist of imitations more or less rude and degenerate of the Macedonian Philippus. The types of the Philippus, as will be seen from the annexed wood- cut are on the obverse the laureate head of Apollo, and on the reverse a charioteer in a biga with the name of Philip underneath. The earliest of the Gaulish imi- tations follow the prototype pretty closely, but eventually both the head and the biga become completely transformed. By the time that the art of coining had FlG - I0 - reached the north-west shores of Gaul, and had thence passed over into Britain, the original Philippus had been developed into the coin of which two varieties are shown below. FIG. II. FIG. 12. The size of the piece has increased, a crossbar, ending in a hook, and rich drapery on the neck have been added to the head ; the hair of which has in front been converted into hollow crescents, and at back ranged in two symmetrical rows, while the laurel wreath becomes an important feature in the design. On the reverse the two horses have 1 The Coins of the Ancient Britons, 1864, with Supplement, 1890. Quaritch : London. 237
