Description
Macedonian Empire, the Alexandrine Era, Alexander III ‘the Great’ of the Argead Dynasty, King of Macedon 336-323 BC, Gold Stater (8.58g, 17.5mm, Attic Gold Standard), posthumous issue of Abydos mint circa 310-301 BC, under the authority of Antigonos I Monophthalmas as Basileus of the Antigonid Empire. Obverse: Head of Athena facing to the right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet ornamented with a coiled snake and pearl necklace, hair flows downward. Reverse: Nike stands facing to the left, draped in peplos and wearing stephane and holding laurel wreath aloft in right hand and stylis in left, “ME” monogram (Price Monogram 720) to left field, upright cornucopia control mark to lower left field below wing, “ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ” downward to right. Price-1556. Presenting a solid strike of an obverse die engraved in quite handsome style, the piece offers a light gold tone that dances handsomely with typical lustrousness, ever so slight doubling on obverse and struck off-centre on the reverse yet with no loss of any reverse devices, as well as a minor edge bump, a masterfulness rendition of the fabled series, near Extremely Fine, reverse Extremely Fine.
he reverse Ancient Greek reads “ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ” or “Ᾰ̓λέξᾰνδρος”, Latinized as “Aléxandros” and in English as “Alexander”, naming King Alexander III of Macedon.
