a silver coin with an image of a woman on it
MDC Monnaies de Collection

Estimate €350
Sale commission
Description
GAUL - CELTIC Transalpine Gaul, Insubres. Heavy drachma featuring a lion, inscribed with “ΜΑΣΣΑ”, an imitation of the Marseille ND (late 3rd – 2nd century BC). Obverse: Stylised head of Diana, wearing a laurel wreath, facing right, with earrings consisting of three pendants and a pearl necklace; her hair features airy, hooked strands. Reverse: Stylised lion facing right, with open mouth and tongue hanging out; stylised legend ‘ΜΑΣΣΑ’ above its back. LT.2163; Silver – 3.38 g – 16.5 mm – 1 h Acquired from Silberstein in 1984. On a slightly oblong blank. A fine, centred bust on the obverse. The blank is concave. Very Fine to Superb. These drachmas, sometimes called ‘scorpion drachmas’ due to the extreme stylisation of the lion, vary in style but have fairly standardised inscriptions, with ΜΑΣΣΑ imitating the drachmas of Marseille. Their attribution is still a matter of debate: Pautasso, Allen and Nash classify them as belonging to the Insubres, whilst S. Scheers prefers to attribute them to the Boii-Cenomani.
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About the sale Numismatics
Auction location
Auction time 10/13/2026 at 1:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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