The purpose of this article is to publish two sets of data. The first set compromises seven hoards of early British currency found in the last few years: These fall naturally into three groups - two hoards of 'Gallo-Belgic E' (Southend-on-Sea and Bury), two hoards of 'British B' or 'Chute' staters (Chute and Ironshill) and three hoards of 'Durotrigan' coinage (Corfe Common, which also included a 'British A' stater, Donhead St Mary and Winterborne Monkton). The second set of data consists of metal analyses carried out at the British Museum Research Laboratory of some of these coins and of similar coins in the British Museum collection. The most substantial group of analyses concerns the Gallo-Belgic coins, but representative samples of the other two sorts of coinage treated here are also provided. While it is true that this article is therefore concerned with some aspects of the very earliest phase of British coinage, it should be remembered that it does not attempt to provide anything like a systematic treatment of that subject, but aims rather to make a substantial body of relevant information available. The article naturally falls into three sections, each corresponding to the different sort of coinage in question. Each section starts with a description of the relevant hoards; these are followed with analytical data, and finally, in each case, a general discussion.