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Drachm Stern Type

Issuer Uncertain Eastern European Celts
Year 300 BC - 201 BC
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Weight 4.21 g
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Obverse description Celticized male head facing right, derived from the classical Macedonian prototype of Philip II or Alexander III, rendered in a stylized barbaric manner. The hair is depicted in thick, flowing strands arranged in loose waves framing the face, with characteristically abstract Celtic treatment of facial features. The eye is rendered as a raised pellet, and the overall modeling of the face is broad and schematic, reflecting the Celtic artistic transformation of Greek prototypes. No legend or inscription is present; the field is otherwise plain.
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Reverse description A horse prancing or trotting to the right, rendered in a bold, schematic Celtic style derived from Macedonian drachm prototypes. Above the horse's back, a prominent multi-petaled rosette or star motif occupies the upper field, giving this issue its distinctive 'Stern' (star) type designation. Below the horse, a series of pellets or globular elements form a ground line. The tail is rendered as a curved line extending behind the hindquarters, and the legs are stylized with rounded terminals. No legend or mintmark is present.
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Additional information

The "Stern" (star) types represent one of several abstract derivations from the Philip II tetradrachm prototype that circulated widely after Macedonian expansion opened trans-Danubian trade routes in the fourth century. Attribution to a specific Celtic group remains contested — the eastern European distribution pattern spans a broad arc from the Carpathian Basin into the Balkans, and no single tribal mint has been convincingly identified. Göbl's classification system, while foundational, has been revised repeatedly as hoard evidence accumulates from Romanian and Slovak excavations.

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