An Eastern Celtic tetradrachm with quite a provenance.

[robinjojo]

I've owned this coin for a few years now.  I posted it on CT on the Follow the Coin Theme Game - Ancient Edition.  Curtis provided some additional information about this former Lanz coin that I wasn't aware of.

Eastern Celts, tetradrachm, Leierblume type, circa 3rd century BC.

Roma XVIII, lot 130.

 

Here are his comments:

"Roma XVIII (29 Sep 2009) was Part II of the Hermann Lanz (1910-1998) Collection, one of most important private collections of Celtic coins. Published in an important reference shortly before Hermann's death: 

Michaela Kostial (1997/2003). Kelten im Osten - Gold und Silber der Kelten in Mittel- und Osteuropa - Sammlung Lanz. München: Verlag Staatlichen Münzsammlung.

1997: The Kostial-Lanz book was published on the occasion of a major German State Museum exhibition of the collection (a big deal!):

Staatlichen Münzsammlung München, for the International Numismatic Congress in Berlin, 1997.

2003: Another exhibit for 60th birthday of Hermann's son, Hubert (1943-), w/ fewer coins & Kostial's 2nd ed.

Your (@robinjojo 's) coin: in both exhibitions & both book editions, published as Kostial-Lanz 522.

Hermann acquired it from his own auction (actually, son Hubert took over, c. 1989/90, after Hermann's other son, Hubert's younger brother, was murdered, Ernst H. Lanz [1945-1989]):
Ex Lanz 54 (12 Nov 1990), lot 28."

Quite a story, especially the acquisition by Hermann Lanz.  Some of these coins have fascinating stories behind them. 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by robinjojo

[John Conduitt]

Nice example and a great provenance. Exhibited too! Did you get it in the Roma auction?

[robinjojo]

9 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

Nice example and a great provenance. Exhibited too! Did you get it in the Roma auction?

Yes, this coin came from Roma when they were auctioning coins from the Lanz Collection.  Those were important auctions featuring some really nice coins.  I picked up a few others, based on artistic style, more than anything else.

Here are three.

Eastern Celts, AR tetradrachm, Zichzachgruppe type, circa 2n-1st centuries BC.

Lanz 738

Roma E-Sale 64, lot 738.

12.32 grams

 

Eastern Celts, Transylvania, circa 2nd century BC.

Lanz 656 (this coin)

12.23 grams

 

Eastern Celts, AR tetradrachm, circa 2nd century BC, Dionysus type.

Karl 612

16.10 grams

 

 

[Parthicus]

I don't usually collect Celtic coins, but this Eastern European drachm imitating Alexander's coinage was just too appealing to me:

[Edessa]

Lovely coins....

Eastern Europe. Celtic imitations of Thasos. Late 2nd-1st century BC. AR Tetradrachm (33mm, 15.38g, 12h). Mint in the lower Danube region. Obv: Stylized head of Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev:  ΛKVEOIY to right, XTHIOZ to left, OΛZΩN below; stylized Herakles standing right, holding club, lion skin draped over arm; M monogram to inner left, legend highly degraded. Ref: OTA Class II; Lanz 969 (this coin). Old collection tone, struck with worn dies. Good Fine. Ex Hermann Lanz Collection, Roma E-Sale 56 (9 May 2019), Lot 47. Ex CNG eAuction 470 (17 Jun 2020), Lot 164.