A certified metal detectorist who was scanning in a field near Leipzig, Germany, made an incredible revelation – the oldest coin ever found in the state of saxony. The 2,200-year-old golden coin,known as a “rainbow cup,” is a rare example of imported Celtic currency.
“This gold coin is not just an artifact but also a tangible piece of our history that provides new insights into trade with the Celts,” stated Barbara Klepsch, Saxony’s state minister.
Celtic rainbow cups, also known as “regenbogenschüsselchen” in German, were named for their curved shape and the belief that treasure could be found where a rainbow touched the ground. these coins were created by the ancient Celts, fierce warrior tribes who lived in mainland Europe and even sacked Rome.
The front of the Gundorf Rainbow Cup features a stylized head of a stag or similar animal, while the back shows an open neck ring with thickened ends (possibly a Celtic torc or torque), a star with rounded corners, and a sphere.
According to Regina Smolnik, Saxony’s state archaeologist, this 2-gram (0.7 ounce) coin is in almost mint condition and was likely not used as currency but rather as a status symbol or store of value for someone with trade relations with the Celts.
In recent years, several other rainbow cups have been discovered in Germany, providing evidence of trade relations between the Celts and Germanic-speaking people before the Roman invasion.
In 2021, a stash of 41 plain rainbow cups was found in the northeastern German state of Brandenburg. These coins, minted in the first century B.C., were also believed to have been obtained through trade as the Celts did not inhabit this area. And in 2023, archaeologists in Bavaria announced the discovery of a single rainbow cup with a rare four-pointed star decoration on its inside, possibly lost by someone traveling along an ancient road nearby.
Even though only one coin was found,its discovery in Saxony along with other examples of this coin elsewhere in Germany provides further evidence of regular contact and connections between the Celts and people living in Saxony over two thousand years ago.
Wow, what an incredible find! The craftsmanship and preservation are truly remarkable.