Do we have any Celtic coin enthusiasts here? I find them intriguing.. the art can be so abstract and quirky, but amazing in some cases. I got my first Celtic coin the other day, already got my eyes peeled for another. I'd love to see what some of the CT members have =)
There are a couple of favorite which I don't own (and am unlikely to ever own)... a Parisii stater, for example. Five years ago I bid too tepidly on an imitative Thasos Dionysos/Herakles and still regret it. The artwork was the best-worst I've seen on the type. Of the few Celtic coins I do own, this quinarius is my favorite: CELTIC, Central Europe (Rhineland). "Dancing Mannikin" type 65 BCE - CE 1 AR Quinarius, 13 mm, 1.62 gm Obv: dancing mannikin right, head turned left, holding snake in right hand, torque in left hand. Rev: horse standing right, head turned left; around, zig zag border. Ref: SLM 1118. Dembski 73, 396. (I'll have to take the seller's word on that for now. If any of you have a Celtic reference and find this inaccurate, please let me know.) https://www.cointalk.com/threads/snakebit-celtic-quinarius-little-dancing-man.256052/
My only Celtic coin: Celtic Britannia The Durotriges (58 B.C.-43 A.D.) Cranborne Chase Type AR Stater, 19mm x 5.95 grams Obv.: Wreath, cloak and crescents Rev.: Disjointed horse left, rectangular head, body of crescents, four vertical legs, three roughly horizontal lines for tail, pellet below, twelve pellets above Ref.: SCBC 366, SGCV 172 They are intriguing, and I have been tempted to pick up more. I am trying to keep my focus in other areas, however.
I want a horsey gold stater but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon. I have yet to own my first Celtic coin but hope to remedy that in 2019.
LOWER DANUBE CELTS AR Drachm OBVERSE: Stylized head of Herakles with wild hair, right REVERSE: Stylized Zeus seated left holding an eagle, kantharus to left Struck by the Lower Danube Celts, 2d-1st Century BC 2.9g, 20mm, CCCBM I 217, Kostial 896 ex JAZ Numismatics EASTERN CELTS, DACHREITER TYPE AR Drachm OBVERSE: Celticized head of Zeus right REVERSE: Celticized horseman riding left; wheel of four spokes above Struck by the Skordoski in Syrmia, 2d Century BC 1.87g, 14mm OTA 188/2-3
CELTIC COINS Very few, an area of future focus for me, and as a whole - very cool / creative artwork: Danubian Celts: Drachm versions of the 2 below seem a little harder to find. Tets were used in trade, Drachmae were used in local commerce... Celt Imit Philip II 2nd C BCE AR Drachm ~2g Zeus Horse pellet-in-annulet above Kugelwangel type- Danube Valley - Kostial 508 OTA 204 Celtic Imitation Philip II 2nd C BCE AR Drachm ~2g Kugelwangel type- Danube Valley - pecunum auction Proto-Money: This is probably Celtic Proto-Currency, and more likely a horse harness ring traded for its Bronze value: Celtic AE Ring 800-500 BCE ICENI Celtic Britain Iceni Boudicca 61 CE 1.03g Celt Hd r Celtic horse galloping Seaby 434 Scarce
Attached are photos of a Eastern Celtic imitation of a Thasos tetradrachm I won from a CNG auction about 15 years ago, circa 100 BC - AD 100, 35 mm, 16.35 gm. Both sides are pretty bizarre.
My favorite: Danubian Celts, 3rd – 1st Century BC Imitating Philip III of Macedon Silver Tetradrachm, 27mm, 16.71 grams Obverse: Head of Herakles right wearing lions skin with ornamentation. Reverse: Blundered legend intending to read BAΣILEΩΣ ΦILLIΠΠOY, Zeus enthroned left holding eagle and scepter, two monograms to left, letter below throne. References: Kostial 905 Provenance: Tom Cederlind, Private Sale, September 20th 2014.
I have 2. Celtic Gaul, the Remi; 1st Century BC, AE 20, 4.04g. De La Tour-8145. Obv: Great God facing. Rev: Boar standing r. From a private Kansas City Collection mostly formed in the 1980s-1990s. Purchased from Chris Rudd. Some porosity. Purchased from Harlan Berk, 204thBid or Buy Sale July 2018 Cunobelinus Centaur.c.AD8-41. Bronze unit. 16mm. 2.38g. Head left, CVNO[BELINI]./ Centaur right, TAS[CIOVANI F] around. ABC 2957, VA 2089, BMC 1968-71, S 336. CCI 02.1143 (this coin).VF, dark green patina. Ex J W Barratt collection, ex W Tatu collection. Purchased from Chris Rudd Nuismatics, August 20, 2018
As I only have one which I use as my Avatar I felt I should share it even though it is very similar to the one posted by Alegandron Iceni Ar unit, Norfolk God Moustache type c. AD 25-43 Seaby 434 Male head r, wearing boarskin headdress, slit and crescent eye, two trefoils in front Horse r, with beaded mane, beaded pelta above, ‘kite’ motif below.
I have a few. This is the favorite I have pictured. I bought the coin for my cousin's daughter who became a Baylor Bear. Her grandparents were Texas Longhorns. The coin has one of each.
I added my Parisii stater late last year, my favorite Celtic type. Artistically, these coins are far more Picasso than Phidias, giving some nice contrast to the usual Classical designs:
Celtic gold like the issues of the Parisii are IMO some of the most beautiful and aesthetically appealing ancient coins. I only have a few "poor man's" celtic coins Central Gaul, Aulerci Cenomani 2nd-1st century BC AR Unit/Obol Head of Athena / Schematized Victory holding wreath over horse galloping over bust of Sol (Side note: this is apparently from a very brief transitional period between an earlier, more naturalistic phase and a later, more abstracted phase.) Gaul, Leuci 2nd-1st century BC Potin unit Male head right Boar standing left over three-arched hill (I've always been fascinated that the Celts in Gaul devised the same symbol used by Buddhists in India at the same time!) Iberia, Bolskan AR Denarius 2nd century BC Male head right, BoN behind Horseman galloping right, BoLSkAN beneath (It's a matter of debate whether this is a "Celtic" coin, as it was made by a culture synthesized from indigenous, Greek, Punic, and Celtic influences, and was minted under nominal Roman authority)
Celts of Iberia (like @Finn235 said...): OSCA Spain AR silver denarius 204-154 BC. Head r beard -N behind - Horseman spear, Iberian PMAN BOLSCAN Burgos 1501 Villaronga 3 Iberia Secaisa Segeda AE 25 2nd-1st C BC Male Hd Dolphin Horseman Galloping Iberia Castulo Late 2nd C BC AE As 25mm Bust Nose Hand Sphinx Iberia - Castulo AE14 Quarter Unit Bust - BOAR w-star 2nd C BCE (Probly Celts in Hannibal's army that were bashing these coins out) Carthage Iberia 218-208 BC AE 13 1-4 Calco Barcid Military Mint 2nd Punic War Tanit Helmet
I have one Celtic coin, a tetradrachm from the Danubian Celts in the style of Philip II of Macedon. Danubian Celts AR Tetradrachm, 4th-3rd Century BC 25.3 mm14.259g Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev: FILIPPOU, naked youth on horse pacing right holding branch, L-K and torch below. SGCV I 203
Ancient Joe, That coin is a great piece of tribal art. What is the date range & weight of the coin? Tell me those people weren't into psychotropic drugs.....