Potin Unit Nipples / Dump / Holman G2

Allen Type: O1, O2.

Mack 24: Class 2 (small module). Remnants of head left, large pellet in centre. Remnants of bull in the form of a square with a large pellet in the centre, a line of either side representing the legs (Allen O2). See Holman G2/5.

Van Arsdell ‘Dump Type’. Van Arsdell Classification: Cantian E, Adjustment Period. His corresponding variety is:
VA 138 - 01 (Middle Dump Type, 45-40BC, Holman G2/5-1): Obverse barely recognizable outline head of Apollo left, pronounced pellet in centre. Reverse barely recognizable bull made up of straight lines, pronounced pellet in centre of coin.

Chris Rudd (ABC) ‘Nipples’. An example of G2/6-3 was sold in Chris Rudd List 201, 20 July 2025, lot 3.

David Holman proposes a detailed classification in A New Classification System for the Flat Linear Potin Coinage. These coins correspond with his Group G, which derive from Holman Group F.

Holman characterises Group G (Allen Class II) as the latest and most degraded of the series and have a significantly smaller diameter (11.0-14.5mm). Striations appear for the final time in the early stages of the group. The crudity of the designs and number of variants makes detailed classification problematic. Given the variability of the series, Holman suggests a degree of flexibility, where the features given are not taken to be exact. There are four subgroups in Group G, of which this is the second:

Subgroup G2 (including Allen O1-2) is characterised by a degraded outline head with a prominent eye ring and pellet, and part of a concentric ring for the head outline, although the facial crescents remain. The reverse has only one crescent above the bull if any, or sometimes in the exergue. It is very rarely possible to guess the direction of the bull. The central pellet can vary in size between one side and the other. The coins are 12-13mm and 0.9-1.3g.



Next in the chronological sequence is Holman G3. The previous type is Holman G1. The previous group is Holman F.