The Tarrant Gunville Hoard: A Major Iron Age Discovery Heads to Market
When a Dorset detectorist uncovered the first glittering traces of what would become known as the Tarrant Gunville Hoard, they had little idea that their find would ultimately rank among the most important Iron Age numismatic discoveries of the decade.
Now thoroughly studied, published, and responsibly processed under UK law, this remarkable group of 31 Iron Age gold and silver coins is set to enter the market, exclusively through Silbury Coins in January 2026, offering collectors an extraordinary opportunity to acquire pieces with impeccable archaeological provenance.
A Responsible Discovery, Fully Documented
The hoard was found in two stages across 2022 and 2023 and was promptly reported under the Treasure Act, prompting a full investigation by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). Recorded under PAS ID: DOR-00A195 and Treasure case 2022T973, the hoard was later disclaimed and returned to the finder and landowner.
Seeking expert guidance on preservation, research, and eventual sale, they turned to Silbury Coins, a firm widely respected for its scholarly approach and ethical handling of archaeological numismatic material.
John Philpotts of Silbury Coins expressed the team’s enthusiasm:
“We take great pleasure in being involved with such finds. Researching and publishing them allows everyone—collectors, scholars, and the public—to deepen their knowledge and advance our understanding of history.”
That research phase is now complete. The coins are fully studied, photographed, published, and ready for the next chapter in their 2,000-year story.
What the Hoard Contains
The Tarrant Gunville Hoard includes 31 staters, a sizeable and historically meaningful concentration of Iron Age currency associated with the closing decades before the Roman conquest of Britain.
Breakdown of the Hoard
From the 2022 discovery:
- 22 gold staters
- 2 silver staters
From the 2023 follow-up discoveries:
- 1 gold stater
- 3 complete silver staters
- 1 partial silver stater
- 1 silver quarter stater
And finally, one more gold stater found in November 2023.
Total: 31 coins, forming an unusually coherent assemblage.
The Gold: Chute Staters of Southern Britain
All 25 gold coins in the hoard are Southern or South Western British Iron Age “Chute” staters, dated to c. 80–60 BC (ABC 746; BMC 35–76).
These enigmatic Celtic coins are characterized by their abstracted horse motifs and devolved designs, typical of pre-Roman Britain’s vibrant and symbolically rich artistic tradition. While often associated with the southern minting region, Chute staters appear in mixed hoards across the West Country, including the Tarrant Gunville group. Their presence suggests active interregional exchange and a shared Iron Age cultural sphere that spanned tribal boundaries.
Philologically, Chute staters occupy an important chronological position: they appear after the earlier uninscribed “early” types but before the more standardized issues circulating closer to the Roman period. Their appearance in such quantity in Dorset is significant evidence for gold mobility during the later Iron Age.
The Silver: South Western Types of c. 60–20 BC
The hoard’s six silver staters and one silver quarter stater come from the South Western coin-producing region, dated 60–20 BC (ABC 2157/2169 and ABC 2208). These are later in date than the gold and show a different numismatic tradition—one more closely associated with the Durotriges and neighboring groups.
Their designs feature stylized heads, pellet arrangements, and increasingly abstract horses. The stylistic evolution from the gold to the silver coins reveals major shifts in local minting, economy, and political identity during the century leading up to Roman rule.
Archaeological and Historical Context
The Tarrant Gunville Hoard contributes important evidence for Iron Age Britain in the Dorset-Hampshire-Wiltshire borderlands, an area long recognized as a dynamic frontier between cultural groups.
The clustering of both early gold and later silver suggests either a long-lived deposit, added to over time, or a single intentional concealment of older and newer wealth—perhaps during a period of instability.
Significantly, the mix mirrors patterns in other West Country hoards, where communities continued to curate older gold alongside newer silver issues. This indicates emotional, symbolic, or political value beyond simple bullion worth.
Given the dating (80–20 BC), this hoard sits squarely in the decades of rising regional competition, shifting elite alliances, and increased contact with continental Europe—a world on the brink of transformation.
Availability
The Tarrant Gunville Hoard will be offered exclusively through Silbury Coins starting January 2026. Further information and upcoming catalogues can be found at silburycoins.com.
For collectors of Iron Age Britain, this hoard represents a rare intersection of archaeology, artistry, and opportunity—an unforgettable chance to acquire coins that truly shaped Britain’s pre-Roman past.
