Sequani, Helvetii, 1/4 Stater with triskel
2nd century BC - Gold - VF(20-25)
PLEASE NOTE: this collector's item is unique. We therefore cannot guarantee its availability over time and recommend that you do not delay too long in completing your purchase if you are interested.
Profile of Apollo to the right, not laureate, with carefully arranged hair made of many ‘S’ and ‘C’ shaped locks. The base is beaded and rather linear.
Biga to the left, with only one horse visible, driven by a leaning charioteer holding a staff symbolised as an extension of his arm; below, a triskel turning to the right. Below, earth line.
A specimen of the highest rarity! Despite its advanced wear from circulation, including several scratches, this type of 1/4 stater is almost impossible to find in the different auctions. This type is listed in L.-P. Delestrée's publication as having been produced during the 2nd century BC, and he differentiates it from the better-identified ‘triskel’ types (Dt. 3033-3042 & 3071-3073), dated for the first group during the same period, and for the second between the end of the 2nd century and the first tier of the 1st century BC. We therefore have here a proto-example of this second series attributed to the peoples of the East, whose area of origin covers eastern France (Jura, Doubs, Aube, etc.), Germany (Baden-Württemberg) and north-western Switzerland. In fact, this extremely rare example shows a profile to the right with no laurel wreath, but also with a minimal celtic style appearance, and on the reverse, the biga advancing to the left, whereas on classical types from the same period or later, the profile, is more of a celtic style, is also laureate and the biga is advancing to the right.
1.95 gr
Gold
Although nowadays gold enjoys a reputation as the king of precious metals, that was not always the case. For example, in Ancient Greece, Corinthian bronze was widely considered to be superior. However, over the course of time, it has established itself as the prince of money, even though it frequently vies with silver for the top spot as the standard.
Nevertheless, there are other metals which appear to be even more precious than this duo, take for example rhodium and platinum. That is certain. Yet, if the ore is not as available, how can money be produced in sufficient quantities? It is therefore a matter of striking a subtle balance between rarity and availability.
But it gets better: gold is not only virtually unreactive, whatever the storage conditions (and trouser pockets are hardly the most precious of storage cases), but also malleable (coins and engravers appreciate that).
It thus represents the ideal mix for striking coins without delay – and we were not going to let it slip away!
The chemical symbol for gold is Au, which derives from its Latin name aurum. Its origins are probably extraterrestrial, effectively stardust released following a violent collision between two neutron stars. Not merely precious, but equally poetic…
The first gold coins were minted by the kings of Lydia, probably between the 8th and 6th century BC. Whereas nowadays the only gold coins minted are investment coins (bullion coins) or part of limited-edition series aimed at collectors, that was not always the case. And gold circulated extensively from hand to hand and from era to era, from the ancient gold deposits of the River Pactolus to the early years of the 20th century.
As a precious metal, in the same way as silver, gold is used for minting coins with intrinsic value, which is to say the value of which is constituted by the metal from which they are made. Even so, nowadays, the value to the collector frequently far exceeds that of the metal itself...
It should be noted that gold, which is naturally very malleable, is frequently supplemented with small amounts of other metals to render it harder.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of gold included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ gold or 999 parts of gold per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
