Iberia, Celtiberian. Uirouia, c. 2nd half of the 2nd Cen BC

Iberia, Celtiberian. Uirouia, c. 2nd half of the 2nd Cen BC

$2,150.00

AE As, 12.27 (25mm, 12h).

Mail head right, with hook shaped curls. Celtiberian letter U behind / Horseman riding to r., holding spear, Celtiberian inscription below in two lines  UIROU / IA.

References: Villaronga 1919

Grade: Lovely dark black/green patina. Sharp strike with minor roughness on the edges. Good EF

gk2002

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An enigmatic little type with legends written in Celtiberian, it was struck in the little-known settlement known as Uirouia and has two toponymic legends.  Interestingly, there is some scholarly dispute as to where this settlement was actually located. Historically, Pliny stated it was related to Virovesca (Modern day Briviesca) while other sources associate it with Briviesca (Modern day Burgos). A more recent, yet less accepted, suggestion posited by Francisco Burillo Mozota in 1995, are that these coins may actually have been struck throughout the greater tribal area of the Autrigones. This type falls into the second of three phases of monetary production, and is characterized by “U” legend behind the head and with hook/curly hair. Despite this division based on the production phase, there have not been enough horde finds to help construct a definitive chronology. Instead, numismatists relied on comparisons to other regional coinages to date this type to the mid 2nd century BC.