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Tetradrachm Imitation of Tetradrachm of Philip II of Macedon
| Issuer | Uncertain Eastern European Celts |
|---|---|
| Year | 300 BC - 250 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Tetradrachm = 4 Drachms |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A horseman riding left, depicted in the abstracted Celtic imitative tradition derived from the Macedonian prototype of Philip II. The rider and mount are rendered in a schematized manner characteristic of eastern European Celtic coinage, with the horse's form simplified into bold curved lines. A cross motif appears in the upper right field, while a star and crescent symbol are placed beneath the horse. No inscription or legend is present. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Celtic silversmiths in the Danube basin began copying Philip II's tetradrachms shortly after Macedonian coinage flooded the region through mercenary payments and trade, but the process of transmission was anything but direct. Each successive die-cutter worked from coins already several generations removed from the Amphipolis originals, producing a cascade of stylistic drift that accelerated deliberately — these were not failed attempts at replication but a conscious local visual vocabulary developing in real time. By 250 BC, the prototype had been abstracted almost beyond recognition.