Archaeologists find Switzerland’s oldest gold coins dating back 2,200 years
Two rare Celtic gold coins dating to the 3rd Century BCE were uncovered near Arisdorf, marking the oldest gold coins ever found in Switzerland, shedding light on ancient trade and ritual practices.
By Jerusalem Post Staff, December 23, 2025
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-881098
Archaeologists uncovered two gold coins, the oldest coins found in Switzerland, dating back over 2,200 years.
The coins, used in ancient Switzerland's Celtic culture, were discovered by two volunteer researchers working with Archäologie Baselland, the region's archaeological service, near the wooded area of Bärenfels, near Arisdorf, the service confirmed.
Archaeologists found a hoard of 34 Celtic silver coins in 2023 at the same site, dating to approximately 80-70 BCE, which triggered a follow-up investigation in spring 2025, where the two gold coins were discovered.
Experts have dated the two gold coins to the mid- to late 3rd Century BCE.
Current research suggests that fewer than two dozen comparable coins from this period are known to exist in Switzerland, according to Archäologie Baselland's website.
Monetary systems likely migrated to Central Europe via Celtic mercenaries who fought in the Mediterranean, historical research suggests. These mercenaries would have been paid in ancient Greek coins, which they would have brought home, leading the culture to adopt Greek motifs on its own coins once the payment system was adopted, Archäologie Baselland's website noted.
The two gold coins found in the recent discovery are believed to be among the adopted coins of Celtic origin.
Coins may have been used for religious purposes
Historians assume that Celtic gold coins were not used for everyday transactions because of their high value. They may have been used as diplomatic gifts, presents to subordinates, to achieve political goals, or as dowries.
Additionally, such coins have been increasingly found in gravesites or in the vicinity of bogs and other bodies of water, including in Arisdorf. Historians note that such sites are often dedicated to deities; thus, such coins may have been deliberately placed there as offerings, Archäologie Baselland's website concluded.
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