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Delightful Alexander
III
‘the Great’ Gold Distater
1040
Macedonian Kingdom. Alexander III ‘the Great’. Gold Distater (17.17 g), 336-323 BC. Amphipolis
mint, ca. 322-317 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet decorated with serpent. Rev.
ALEXANDROU
, Nike standing facing, head left, holding wreath and stylis; in left field, thunderbolt. (Price
163; Troxell grp. C, 545 (dies DO1/DF2)). Well struck with underlying luster. Extremely fine.
$ 15,000
Although this beautiful distater features the Athena and Nike types popularized by Alexander the Great as a symbol of his pan-
Hellenic campaign to exact revenge from the Persians for their past offenses against the Greeks, it was struck as the illusory unity
of Alexander’s vast empire was crumbling to pieces and his former generals went to war with one another to carve out their own
lesser kingdoms. This particular piece was struck after Alexander’s death when Philip III was king and while either Antipater or his
appointed successor, Polyperchon, served as regent. Indeed, Antipater’s appointment of Polyperchon, which overlooked his own son
Kassander, became yet another point of division that fueled the early wars of the Successors.
1041
Macedonian Kingdom. Alexander III ‘the Great’. Silver Tetradrachm (17.20 g), 336-323 BC.
Amphipolis, under Kassander, ca. 307-297 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion’s skin headdress. Rev.
ALEXANDROU
, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and scepter;
L
above torch; below throne, tripod. (Price 461;
Ehrhardt 25). Incredibly sharp detail and lightly toned. Nearly Mint state.
$ 1,000