76 - Zweigarm Type - The TCx3 Collection

Unique ID: 76

Technical details

DataDescriptionProvenanceReferences

Denomination	Tetradrachm	Metal	Silver
Area	Eastern Europe	Region	North Eastern Bulgaria
Issuing Authority	Unknown	Issuer	Unknown
Weight	9.01g	Diameter	23mm
Rarity	Very Common (200+)	Date	200 BC to 150 BC (see note about dating)

Obverse Legend	No Legend
Reverse Legend	No Legend
Obverse Description	Abstract head of Zeus facing right. The die is so worn that it’s almost blank.
Reverse Description	Abstract horse facing left. The rider has been reduced to a pair of legs, three pellets, and a helmet.

Bought from Roma Numismatics E-sale 62, lot 30

Hermann Lanz Collection. Published in “Kelten im Osten. Gold und Silber der Kelten in Mittel und Osteuropa. Sammlung Lanz” by Michaela Kostial

Lanz	Lanz 594. Zweigarm Type (This coin)

The Zweigarm Type tetradrachm (Branch Arm) is a very common coin minted by the Celts in Eatern Europe. It’s derived from Philip II of Macedon’s Tetradrachms which features the king on horseback holding a palm branch. This coin is very late in the series, and it has almost transitioned into the Sattelkopfpferd Type (see 71).

There isn’t much information available on where and when these were minted, with many auction listings contradicting each other. They were superceeded by the Sattelkopfpferd Type so I will use the mint location from that type. The Sattelkopfpferd tetradrachms are dated to the end of the 2nd century to the start of the 1st century BC, so these must come before them.