FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board

Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Celtic, Barbaric & Tribal Imitative Coins Discussion Forum => Topic started by: michiel on October 24, 2002, 06:35:43 am

Title: unknown celtic coin
Post by: michiel on October 24, 2002, 06:35:43 am

Hello everybody

I have bought this celtic coin last year. It's a silver unit and has a strange shape. I have showed the coins to many specialists, but nobody can tell me what coin it is. I was hoping somebody on this forum would know it.

(http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/7831130.JPG)
(http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/7831146.JPG)

The finder told me he found it in France very close to the german border.

All information is welcome.

Best regards Michiel Bil

Title: Re: unknown celtic coin
Post by: sejanus on October 24, 2002, 02:42:49 pm

Danubian Celtic imitation of a Parion Greek AR hemidrachm w/ Gorgoneion head on obverse + incuse square on the reverse.

Title: Re: unknown celtic coin
Post by: esnible on October 24, 2002, 08:52:04 pm

I respectfully disagree with Sejanus.  This is definately not a facing head coin.  Also, I've looked at many imitations of archaic Parion units and the reverse looks significantly different from anything I've seen.

Compare this with the archaic Parion coins on my web page.
http://www.snible.org/coins/parion.html

Title: Re: unknown celtic coin
Post by: michiel on October 25, 2002, 09:47:08 am

I cannot make a head from the obverse and it doesn't look like one of the coins on the link. Will it help if i make a better and bigger picture.

Best regards Michiel

Title: Re: unknown celtic coin
Post by: sejanus on October 25, 2002, 06:35:49 pm

The incuse punch on the reverse is seen on no other coins than Parion hemidrachmai.  And the obverse is so worn that you cannot really tell which way is up.

BUT.....the flan is too large to be a Parion imitation.  The Danubian celts were also very famous for imitating Aelxander the Great's tet's in massive quantities, often extremely crude.  The obverse looks vaguely similar to those Alexander potraits.  Could it be a mule?

Title: Re: unknown celtic coin
Post by: Michiel on November 04, 2002, 09:32:01 am

Thanks for the extra info. i will show the coin to some experts next month. If they can tell me more about it i will post it on the forum as well.

Best regards Michiel