Celtic gold and electrum staters

[robinjojo]

I only have one, as a type coin, and this is an area that I know little of, so perhaps this thread can serve as a forum to exchange knowledge and posting of coins from this vast and complex area.

I assume that the gold and electrum coinage paralleled the silver coinage, generally, in terms of how the style and fabric of the coin evolved, from pretty faithful copies of the staters of Philip II and Alexander III, to more stylized "local" designs with a strong "Celtic" style to them. 

Here's my example:

Western Celts, El stater, Namnetes, Nantes  first century BC

Délestré 2187

7.3 grams

I've seen this type from Nantes for sale quite often..  I assume that it is based on a gold stater of Philip II, but with a highly Celtic stylized obverse and reverse.

Please post your gold and electrum coins.

Thanks

 

[Al Kowsky]

robinjojo, Your Celtic stater is a handsome coin that is considerably devolved from the Greek originals. I think it would be appropriate to post an original Greek stater that served as a model for so many of the Celtic coins. The coin pictured below is not in my collection.

Kings of Macedon, circa 322-319, Kolophon Mint. AV Stater: 8.57 gm, 17.5 mm, 12 h. CNG Triton XXIII, lot 215, hammer price $28,750.00. Photo courtesy of CNG.

 

I can post a British Celtic stater that has further devolved to the point that it is almost unrecognizable compared to the Greek originals.

[robinjojo]

That's a nice British stater, Al.  I really like the stylized, almost modern art renditions on both sides!

Are the British Celtic staters generally rarer than the French?

[Al Kowsky]

23 minutes ago, robinjojo said:

That's a nice British stater, Al.  I really like the stylized, almost modern art renditions on both sides!

Are the British Celtic staters generally rarer than the French?

That's a good question 🤔. When you consider how long Gallic staters were minted, in overall numbers they are probably more plentiful than the British staters. Minting of staters was brought to Britain by Gallic tribes who were fleeing the Romans & other barbarian tribes like the Huns who were moving westward. By the time Rome had fully conquered Britain, gold staters ceased to be made. By the time of Constantine I, the gold solidus was the most important international gold coin in the world; it effectively replaced gold staters. It didn't take long for the barbarian tribes to start imitating Roman solidi 😏. The most sought after gold staters are Gallic, & they bring the highest prices at auction, but the British coins are gaining in popularity 😉. There isn't a lot of interest in Celtic coins here in America, it's the European auction houses that are feeding the Celtic coin market. Pictured below is a favorite barbaric solidus in my collection.

[John Conduitt]

5 hours ago, robinjojo said:

I only have one, as a type coin, and this is an area that I know little of, so perhaps this thread can serve as a forum to exchange knowledge and posting of coins from this vast and complex area.

I assume that the gold and electrum coinage paralleled the silver coinage, generally, in terms of how the style and fabric of the coin evolved, from pretty faithful copies of the staters of Philip II and Alexander III, to more stylized "local" designs with a strong "Celtic" style to them. 

I've seen this type from Nantes for sale quite often..  I assume that it is based on a gold stater of Philip II, but with a highly Celtic stylized obverse and reverse.

I always assumed gold came first, but maybe because that's what happened in Britain. Gold coins were imported for specific purposes, mainly for the elites, mercenaries and religious offerings. When other metals arrived, gold, silver and bronze (or potin) were not typically hoarded together, which suggests they were used for different things.

The gold coins imported into Britain were already degraded Philip II designs, so coins made in Britain were always going to be stylised. Where the silver and bronze mirror those designs, it's more crudely, or they copy other Greek and Roman silver and bronze coins, starting with more faithful copies and later becoming stylised. That suggests they came later.

Here's my only gold Iron Age coin.

Iceni 'Irstead Smiler' Quarter Gold Stater, 30-10BC

Norfolk. Gold, 9mm, 1.06g. Horse right with open head, beaded mane, large crescent and two rings above forming hidden smiling face, ringed-pellet behind and below. Branch projecting from latticed box divided into three, (ringed-pellet to right) (S 430).

[John Conduitt]

1 hour ago, robinjojo said:

That's a nice British stater, Al.  I really like the stylized, almost modern art renditions on both sides!

Are the British Celtic staters generally rarer than the French?

Yes there are more Gallic staters than British. They started striking them earlier and the area covered by the 'Gallic' Celts was larger. The British tribes only really struck coins for 150 years from 100BC in the south-easterly part of the island. Quite a lot of the coin-producing tribes in Britain came from Gall in the first place. But the gold coins usually go for a lot of money whichever side of the Channel they came from. 

[Prieure de Sion]

56 minutes ago, Salt said:

BOHEMIA. BOII. 1/24 Stater, 2nd c. BC. AV 0.34 g. 
Obv: Plain. 
Rev: Athena Alkis standing l. in fighting position, throwing lance with her raised r. hand, protecting her l. arm with large shield. 
Paulsen 150

Super nice. But it wouldn't be for me. For me, these beautiful little coins would always end up in the hoover.