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GROUP F

The defining feature of Group F is the solid shape of the driver's body, which, starting as an S-scroll in Group D, has already shown a tendency to swell and thicken in Group E. The lower curl of the S-scroll is retained in Group F, while the upper curl becomes a curved triangle: this triangular shape is a common motif in Celtic art. The driver's back can consist of either a double or a single curve, depending on the position of the curl of the diadem. The stalked lips on the obverse head are now obsolete, and are replaced by beads. With the exception of Coin 26, all of the coins of Groups F and G have the lowest hair of the head continuing down to form the line of the back of the neck

The chronology is as follows:

Group

F

Coins

21, (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)

Chronology of Group F Coins

Rybot's comment: "At least two dies of this coin have been observed: the reverses of both are similar to that of No. (26), except that the ponies' heads have no beads under them; nor, in the case of one die, has the driver."

The obverse of Coin 21 is identical in design to that of Coin 19, except for two details, the lips and the back of the neck. In the first, the stalked lips are abandoned and replaced by three beads; from each bead, a line curves round the chin, the lines from the two lower beads connecting in a curl in front of the neck, while the line of the uppermost bead touches the top of the curl. In the second detail, the lowest hair does not end in a curl, but becomes the line forming the back of the neck. This new design of the neck continues for the rest of Series X, with the exception Coin 26.

Rybot noted two dies for the reverse of coin 21: unfortunately, he did not illustrate them (for his descriptions, refer to the illustrations).

On the obverse of Coin 22, and for the rest of the series, the whisks are abandoned. They appear only once in Series Y, and are reintroduced in Series Z. The mouth is represented by two beads; the mouth ornament descends from the bead representing the lower lip.

The mouth ornament is the same as that on Coins 18 to 20. The base of the nose is smaller than on Coin 21, and the top part of the nose branches into two lines, the upper following the usual curve, the lower line echoing it as it radiates out from the split, then making a sharp elbow bend to connect back to the top of the upper line. The elbow is capped by a bead, and just inside the crook of the elbow, in the wedge of space formed by the two upper lines of the nose, floats another bead. The upper part of the nose thus forms a small head.

In another variety of this coin, there is another bead in front of the bead at the base of the nose.

The reverse of Coin 22 follows the general description of the driver's body as recorded in the introductory paragraphs to Group F: a curved triangle ending in a curl. The only parts that Rybot illustrated were the heads of the driver and of the pony. The driver's head has a solid line curving back from the chin, and around the cheek section. The pony's head is similar, except that the beads at the mouth are omitted. In other respects, both heads resemble those of Coin 19. Note that the cheek section in both the driver and the pony are more closely matched in this coin.

The obverse of Coin 23 is similar to that of the last coin, with the exception of the top of the nose. In this die, the top of the nose splits into two thick, barely- curved ends, the upper one tapered, the lower one blunt. This appears to be a vestige of the small head of the previous coin.

On the reverse of Coin 23, the curved lines beneath the heads of the driver and the pony are now beaded, replacing the solid lines found on the last coin.

Rybot's comment: "The reverse of this coin only differs from that of No. (26) in the tilt of the two heads. the lower horse's (sic) head is from an alternative die"

The obverse of Coin 24 is similar to the previous coin, but the top of the nose turns outward in a single end.

The reverse is similar to that of the previous coin. Another die omits the line of beads below the pony's head, without reverting back to the solid line seen on Coin 22.

The obverse of Coin 25 is of the same design as that of the previous coin.

The reverse has a beaded line beneath both the driver's and the pony's heads. The leaves of the rein curl are much wider than those shown on Coin 23.

The obverse of Coin 26, the final coin in this group, has a nose that is smaller in the top section, and larger in the bottom section, and more deeply curved, almost like a reversed "3." The outer line of the mouth ornament is beaded. The back of the neck is represented by a short line. This is the only occurrence of this in Group F and G. Possibly, this coin belongs after Coin 21, the die engraver being unsure of how the neck design should be. It is placed here as the beaded line of the mouth ornament may also be seen in the first coin of the next group. With only two details fixing its chronology within the group, and when one of these is a reversion to an earlier design, its position must remain conjectural.

On the reverse of this coin, there is a gap between the beads at the pony's mouth and the couped ends of the reins. The pony's mane curl descends from a bud at the base of the mane, instead of from the usual diadem. This may be intended to represent the stipule of a vine.

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