2,300-year-old Celtic gold coins found in Swiss bog

Two rare Celtic gold coins were discovered in a Swiss bog. One coin is a stater that weighs 7.8 grams, and the other is a 1/4 stater with a weight of 1.86 gram. As mercenaries, the Celts of mainland Europe were given Greek coins as payment at the end of the fourth century B.C. These coins later served as inspiration for Celtic coinage at the beginning of the third century B.C. The staters were minted during the reign of Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. Both coins showcase the profile of the Greek god Apollo on the obverse and a two-horse chariot on the reverse.

The coins were modified slightly from their Greek originals. On the smaller one's reverse, a triple spiral can be seen beneath the horses. This symbol, known as a triskele, appears frequently in Celtic art. Experts say that Celtic gold coins were not used for everyday transactions. They were too valuable. The Bärenfels bog in Switzerland has many water-filled sinkholes. The Celts often chose water-filled places like this for votive offerings.