Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

2 gold coins of Cunobeline (5 BC - 43 AD) and 1 coin of Augustus (struct 18 BC)

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Late Iron Age - 10 AD to 40 AD)

Associated Finds

• COIN (Late Iron Age - 10 AD to 40 AD)

Full description

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Three gold coins were found by workmen digging in the garden of a house near Hart's Delight Farmhouse, Tunstall, built recently (c1874) for Mr Prentis of Milton. At first two were found together, one Roman, bearing a profile of Claudius Caesar, and the other British, of Cunobeline. (See illustration card). The coin of Cunobeline is now in the possession of Mr Walter Prentis of Rainham. The second discovery brought to light one coin of Cunobeline. (1) An aureus of Augustus, struck in 18 BC, found with coins of Cunobeline at Heart's Delight, Borden in 1874, was among coins bequeathed to Rochester Museum by the late Mr Walter Prentis. The coin shows the head of Augustus on the obverse and an altar to Augustus on the reverse. It was erroneously described by Authy 1 as of Claudius. (2) Mr Francis Prentis called his new house, built in 1874, near Hart's Delight farm, 'Cunobeline', to mark a find that had been made in the garden of two coins of that King's reign (5 BC - 43 AD), together with an aureus of Augustus. A further gold coin belonging to this treasure was found in the same place in 1943. (3) [TQ 88756239] Iron Age coins found AD 1873 [NAT] (4) The 1943 coin was found during the occupancy of Capt H Woolrych, RN retired, now living in Cornwall. The present owner Col Giddy, resident since 1947, knew of its discovery but could offer no definiteinformation. No further information was gained on the coins found in 1873. (5)

<1> Arch Cant 9 1874 299 (OS Card Reference). SKE36004.

<2> Arch Cant 27 1905 71 (OS Card Reference). SKE34917.

<3> Arch Cant 61 1948 148 (FH Worsfold) (OS Card Reference). SKE35323.

<4> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<5> F1 CFW 04-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42420.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 86 SE 12 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4596.

Sources and further reading