CELTIC, Central Europe. Vindelici. Late 3rd or very early 2nd century BC. 1/24 Stater (Gold, 6 mm, 0.32 g, 6 h), 'Androkephales Pferd I' type. Male head to right, with long wavy hair. Rev. Man-headed horse galloping to right, head turned back to left and body constricted by a torque (?); above, bird standing left; below, bird standing right. Flesche 345. Kellner, Manching, 64. Steffgen/Ziegaus, JNG XLIV (1994), 28 (same dies). Extremely rare. An exceptionally well struck and sharp example and undoubtedly among the finest known. Extremely fine.


The 'Androkephales Pferd' types were most likely contemporary or struck just slightly later than the 'Januskopf' issues. One example was, intriguingly, found in a burial site at Butera, Sicily, which was given up in the early 2nd century and thus not only provides a terminus ante quem for the issue but also an interesting connection to the 2nd Punic War. Sicily had been a Roman province since 227 BC, but it saw heavy fighting between Carthaginian and Roman forces in 215-210 and both sides are known to have relied heavily on Celtic mercenaries. There can thus be little doubt that the Butera coin was brought to Sicily by one of them.