Catalog
Tetradrachm Ringelkopfreiter mit Mundrosette Type
| Issuer | Dacians of Transylvania |
|---|---|
| Year | 200 BC - 1 BC |
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| Value | Tetradrachm (4) |
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| Obverse description | Heavily stylised laureate head facing right, derived from a Macedonian prototype, rendered in characteristic late Celtic abstract idiom. The hair is depicted as a series of ring-curl pellets (Ringelkopf), with a pearl diadem encircling the crown. An S-form ornament and a torc-like element are visible at the neckline, while a prominent rosette appears before the face in the field. The overall design reflects the progressive geometric degeneration typical of Dacian-Transylvanian silver coinage of this period. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (200 BC - 1 BC) |
| Additional information |
The "Ringelkopfreiter mit Mundrosette" belongs to a broad family of Dacian imitative tetradrachms descended from Philip II Macedonian prototypes, copied and recopied across generations until the original iconographic source became almost unrecognizable. This particular type is characterized by the rosette at the mouth of the rider figure — a local stylistic addition with no parallel in the Macedonian originals, suggesting a regional workshop operating with considerable autonomy from the broader imitative tradition.
Transylvanian Dacian coinage was never issued by a centralized mint authority in any meaningful sense. Production likely occurred across multiple tribal centers, which explains the significant die variation documented within this type by Göbl.