CENTRAL EUROPE. Boii. Nonnos, about 44-30 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 17.00 g, 5 h), Bratislava oppidum. Bare-headed male bust to left; before, branch with berries. Rev. NONNO[S] Horseman galloping to right, holding word in his right hand; all within linear-arch border. Flesh 490 (this coin). Göbl, Hexadrachmen, pl. 6, XIV/3, 1 (same). Lanz 85 (same this). Paulsen pl. 33, 774-7 (same this). Very rare. An exceptional piece, beautiful toned and of vigorous Celtic style, with a particularly impressive obverse. The reverse struck slightly off center, otherwise, good very fine. Ex Leu 16, 19 October 2024, 20, from the collection of C. Flesh, Künker 366, 5 April 2022, 6493, and ex Leu 83, 6 May 2002, 574. This highly impressive tetradrachm was definitely produced in the Bratislava oppidum, located in what is now the capital of Slovakia. Archaeological excavations have uncovered a Celtic mint in this area, where over 1,000 coins have been found in situ. Most of these coins are tetradrachms, bearing Celtic names such as Ainorix, Biatec, Iantumarus, Busu, and Nonnos, as seen on this piece. It is widely believed that these names represent prominent figures in Celtic society, possibly chieftains or officials overseeing coin production, similar to practices in Rome. Roman influence on the coinage from the Bratislava oppidum is evident both in the motifs and in the use of the Latin alphabet. The exact dating of these coins is debated, but it is generally agreed that production occurred with the destruction of the oppidum, traditionally linked to the activities of the Dacian king Burebista († 44 BC) in the region. However, as is often the case when archaeological destruction layers are tied to specific historical events or figures, recent research suggests a more complex picture. As a result, it is now believed that the oppidum may have continued to exist until the late 1st century BC. This lot can be shipped to a US address.