CELTIC COINS
CENTRAL EUROPE
Helvetii (?). Early-mid 3rd century BC. Stater (Gold, 20mm, 8.37 g 1), imitating Philip II of Macedon. Laureate head of Apollo to right. Rev. [Φ]IΛIΠΠOY Charioteer, holding kentron in right hand, reins in left, driving biga to right; below horses, Nike flying right with wreath. Castelin -. De la Tour -. D&T -. Apparently unpublished and unknown. Two small nicks on reverse, otherwise, very fine.
This is a puzzling coin: the style marks it as an early imitation of a posthumous issue of Philip II from Pella (Le Rider 370), but its exact origin remains a mystery. There are, however, faint stylistic similarities to Staters of the Helvetii; thus, our tentative attribution is far from being certain and makes the coin well worthy of further study!