Nomos AG
Auction 16 10 May 2018
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Kings of Macedon. Demetrios I Poliorketes, 306-283 BC. Stater (Gold, 19 mm, 8.57 g, 7 h), Pella, 293-292. Head of Athena to right, wearing Corinthian helmet adorned with a coiled serpent. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; at Nike's feet to left and right, monogram. Newell 71 (but struck from different dies). Very rare. Very sharply struck from fresh dies. Obverse slightly off center and with some minor marks and scuffs, otherwise, extremely fine.
From a European collection.
In many ways this is an extraordinary example of a very rare coin! The obverse head of Athena was done by a die cutter who was very gifted and had his own ideas about how Athena should appear; instead of showing her hair in the form of the usual long vertical curls, we see it here as more free-flowing, tangled locks. This style is more typical of Alexander-type staters struck to the east, or those struck in the name of Lysimachos: perhaps the engraver responsible for the dies of this coin was drafted in on an emergency basis to help out in Pella.
From a European collection.
In many ways this is an extraordinary example of a very rare coin! The obverse head of Athena was done by a die cutter who was very gifted and had his own ideas about how Athena should appear; instead of showing her hair in the form of the usual long vertical curls, we see it here as more free-flowing, tangled locks. This style is more typical of Alexander-type staters struck to the east, or those struck in the name of Lysimachos: perhaps the engraver responsible for the dies of this coin was drafted in on an emergency basis to help out in Pella.