Compared with a Roman republican denariius, my latest coin seems impressively large and three dimensional. This is not a Macedonian tetradrachm with a portrait of Philip II, father of Alexander "The Great". However, it is not far off, the Greek writing on the back well done and the portrait not unfaithful to the original. So similar that there is one very close sold in 2017 from Numismatik Naumann as:
Philip II (359-336 BC). Tetradrachm. Amphipolis.
Le Rider pl. 47, 23; SNG ANS 794; HGC 3.1, 988 (Kassander)
Misidentified? I would like to confirm the reference to Le Rider Philippe, pl. 47, 23.
An interesting paper here (in German from Jahrbuch fur Numismatik und Geldschichte Band XX 1970) that discusses the people who minted these coins - with the Thracians discussed for earlier more faithful copies before Celts were in the region.
These Celtic coins are from the first half of the third century (300-250 BC). Celtic tribesmen served as mercenaries for Philip II (356-336 BC) and were paid in silver coins. They returned home with these coins after the campaigns. With this exposure to the currency, they also began to strike their own coins in imitation starting around 300 BC.
I find this an amazing ~2300 year old coin.
Eastern Europe, imitating Philip II of Macedon, 3rd century BC, AR Tetradrachm, (25mm, 13.80g). Complete legend type. Struck in the central and lower Carpathian region (Modern Romania)
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right
Rev: ΦIΛIΠΠ-OY, Nude youth on horseback left, holding rein and palm frond; Λ above torch below, monogram below raised foreleg.
This coin comes even closer to the original (although it is a Celtic imitation):
Kings of Macedon, Philip II, 359-336 BC, AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 14.22g, 7h), Amphipolis, struck under Kassander, circa 307-297.
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus to right
Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟ-Υ, young jockey, holding palm frond in his right hand and reins in his left, riding horse to right; below horse, Λ above torch; below raised foreleg, monogram of ΚO
Ref: Le Rider pl. 47, 23. SNG ANS 794
Before the coins above, this coin better represented my expectations from an "imitative" tetradrachm:
Tetradrachm from the lower Danube area imitating issues of Philip III of Macedon.
Obv: Stylized head of Herakles right (nose right)
Rev: Zeus enthroned holding a bird
This coin is of a type described as "chinless" or in German "Kinnlos"
Eastern Europe (Pannonia and Balkan), Celtic imitations of Philip II of Macedon. 2nd century BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 14.98 g, 10h). Kinnlos (Chinless) type. Mint in the central Carpathian region. Celticized head of Zeus right, without chin / Celticized horseman riding right; line with central pellet below.
Celtic Coins, Eastern Europe (the Scordisci tribe from present day Serbia), imitations of Philip II of Macedon (2nd-1st centuries BC), 9.84g, AR Tetradrachm, "Kugelwange" type
Obv: Stylized laureate head of Zeus right.
Rev: Stylized horse prancing left; pellet-in-annulet above.
Further Reading: