Ancients: I like Roman coins, but I think like these even better: Celtic

As the title says, these are my 'true' love when it comes to ancients. Specifically, the coins minted by the Celtic tribes which inhabited central Germany (Germania Magna as the romans called the area), on the right bank of the Rhine.

Here are two new purchases of types I already own: the first is a quinarius minted by the tribe of the Ubier, and popularly called the Little Dancing Man (tanzendes Männlein). These were minted in the years between 75-1 bc, and it shows a stylized horse on the reverse, and a similarly stylized dancing man (with a modern hairdo), and holding a serpent.

The second type is the 'little Bird Man' (Vogelmännchen) quinarius , of the Nauheimer type. This little coin weighs about 1,05 grams. They were minted around 75-50 bc. This is my favorite of the two. It shows a bird man holding a torques on the reverse, and a stylized head of a warrior on the obverse. I love the design of this head.

Both of these celtic tribes were caught in the cross-fire between more aggressive germanic tribes
which confronted the romans when they crossed the Rhine, after subduing the Gauls under Vercingetorix in the second half of the first century bc. It is assumed that they were either absorbed/assimilated by the germanic tribes (the Cherusquer, Marcomanen, and others), or perhaps they were decimated by them.

 

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Marvelous, whimsical little pieces!

 

Wonderful! Hadn't seen Little Dancing Man before.

 

Interesting coins and information, but I still like my Romans - especially Roman Republic. However, I certainly wouldn't mind having a few of these in my collection. Congratulations on the new acquisitions.

 

Very cool additions. Ive seen the dancing man before but not the other one. I'd take some into my collection too.

 

The cultures that lived on the peripheries of the superpowers are always a fascinating study. They frequently left scant written records, if any, and most of the knowledge we have of them is gleaned from archaeology. Coin evidence can play a huge role in that investigation. It's one of the things that draws me to the Nabataeans.

 

Very cool coins, Eduard!!

=> I haven't scored a celtic coin yet (ummm, they are relatively expensive, yes?)

... congrats on two real winners!!

 

The JDL collection coming up at NAC has a very interesting Celtic distater. It's unique and estimated at 45K CHF, but will probably end up going for much more. This is similar in design to some of the Celtic staters but better executed. I'm not normally interested in much Celtic coinage but this one is very exciting.

 

^^^
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Here's a Celtic coin that took my breath away. Saw it on TJBuggy's site, the "Most Beautiful Ancient Coins" pages. WOW.

http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/beaut.html

 

OH MY GOSH! DID YOU SEE THAT DANCIN MAN AND HORSE COIN?!




aAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

i want that!

 

dang...got so excited i posted twice.