4027

Celtic Coinage. Northwestern Gaul. The Redones. Gold Stater (8.04 g, 20 mm). 2nd century B.C. VF

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:12,000.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 USD and UP
Celtic Coinage. Northwestern Gaul. The Redones. Gold Stater (8.04 g, 20 mm). 2nd century B.C. VF
Celtic Coinage. Northwestern Gaul. The Redones. Gold Stater (8.04 g, 20 mm). 2nd century B.C. Large laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Naked rider on horseback right, holding a shield in left hand and a spear in right hand, grain ear before, lightning bolt below. DT 2082-2084. BN 6757. Hucher "l'Art gaulois" pl. 53. Very Fine. Extremely rare.

The rider on the reverse sometimes has been identified as Epona, the Celtic horse-goddess. As a protectress of horses, a fertility deity and leader of souls into the afterlife, she is normally depicted in a less militaristic manner in other Celtic art, leading one to question the identification. The person on horseback here may very will be female, the woman warrior being a popular theme of Celtic legend.
Estimated Value $25,000-UP.

Provenance: Ex Vinchon, 20 December 2006, lot 356; Collection Numismatique d'un amateur d'art (Vinchon, 29 October 2002), lot 34.