Tetradrachm Philip III Type

Celtic imitations of Alexander the Great's tetradrachms proliferated rapidly after his eastern campaigns flooded the Mediterranean and Balkans with silver coinage. The Philip III type specifically — derived from posthumous issues struck in Alexander's name — was adopted by Celtic tribes across the Carpathian basin and Danube corridor as a trusted trading medium, progressively abstracted through successive die generations until the original Macedonian imagery became nearly unrecognizable. This degeneration was not carelessness; it reflects the coin passing through multiple hands and minting traditions across generations of Celtic craftsmen working far from any Hellenistic reference point.