Lot 3 - Numismatic Auction 8

Paeonia - Celts of Paeonia. Celtic imitation, tetradrachm of Philip II, 2nd cent. BC. Obv. Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev. ... Read more
Starting price:
1.000,00 CHF

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Lot status:
Auction closed

Description

Paeonia - Celts of Paeonia. Celtic imitation, tetradrachm of Philip II, 2nd cent. BC. Obv. Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev. ΛΙΠΥ-ΑΣ. Horseman to right, wearing helmet. Behind a bird and triskeles in front. OTA 415; Castelin 1224; Lanz 711; Wien 1334. AR. 13.46 g.
VF+
Ex. Bank Leu AG auction 28, 5 may 1981, lot 253 & 79, 31 october 2000, lot 145.

The Celts were renowned as valiant warriors. The Greek armies feared them more than anything else. Faced with such a threat, two solutions were conceivable: bribe them by paying heavy tributes or use them in the wars between rival Hellenistic kingdoms. In both cases, they were rewarded with gold staters or silver tetradrachms of the Philip II type. The Celts, who possessed precious metal resources, would in turn strike imitation coinages inspired by the Macedonian prototypes. These imitations were at the beginning more or less close copies. Then, under the influence of their own Celtic iconography, they reinterpreted the original images. This amazing stylistic evolution did not escape modern intellectuals. Who else than André Breton or André Malraux in the last century, could better remark the original and anachronistic interest of these monetary types?

Les Celtes sont réputés pour leur valeur guerrière. Les armées grecques les craignent plus que tout. Face à une telle menace, deux solutions sont envisageables: les acheter en versant de lourds tributs ou les employer lors des guerres entre royaumes hellénistiques rivaux. Dans les deux cas, on les rétribue avec des statères en or ou des tétradrachmes d’argent aux types de Philippe II. Les Celtes, disposant de métal précieux, frappent à leur tour des monnaies s’inspirant des prototypes macédoniens. Ces imitations sont dans un premier temps plus ou moins fidèles. Ensuite, elles substituent aux images originelles des interprétations assez libres renvoyant à l’iconographie celtique. Cette étonnante évolution stylistique n’échappera pas aux Modernes. Qui d’autre qu’André Breton ou André Malraux peut mieux, au siècle dernier, relever l’intérêt de ces types monétaires à la fois originaux et anachroniques ?
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Timetable

Pre-bidding - End
04 07 2017 17:00 CEST

Room auction - Start
05 07 2017 15:00 CEST