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CSNS Signature Sale 3099 5-7 May 2022
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Ancients
MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AV stater (18mm, 8.59 gm, 12h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5. Posthumous issue(?) of uncertain mint. Head of Athena right, hair flowing loose in short curly bunches and upswept at temple, wearing pendant earring, beaded necklace, and triple-crested Corinthian helmet pushed back on head, long divergent crest ends, bowl decorated with coiled and entwined serpent right / AΛEΞANΔPOY, Nike standing facing, head left, wreath in outstretched right hand, stylis cradled in left arm; IA monogram above ΣY in outer left field. Price -. Struck from meticulous, artistic dies on fully lustrous flan.
This specimen is enigmatic - the ΣY on the reverse is known in Price only from Carrhae however the style is nothing like what is typically found from that mint. Also, the ΣY appears to have been engraved over a different symbol which had been removed from the die. Perhaps the die was prepared elsewhere and transferred to Carrhae? Even so, the ΣY is only noted for a silver tetradrachm and hemidrachm. The IA monogram fails to point in a direction as well, since it's not attested at any mint in Price. Perhaps the key to discovering the origin is in the carefully designed helmet. Typically the serpent is executed in a large loop however on this masterful example the animal is looped and coiled around itself as seen on Mysian cistorphori. The hair style also is likely an attribute to eventually unlocking the mystery as the curly clusters are quite distinctive.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-macedonian-kingdom-alexander-iii-the-great-336-323-bc-av-stater-18mm-859-gm-12h-ngc-ms-5-5-4-5/a/3099-30008.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3099-05052022
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 5000-7000 USD
MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AV stater (18mm, 8.59 gm, 12h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5. Posthumous issue(?) of uncertain mint. Head of Athena right, hair flowing loose in short curly bunches and upswept at temple, wearing pendant earring, beaded necklace, and triple-crested Corinthian helmet pushed back on head, long divergent crest ends, bowl decorated with coiled and entwined serpent right / AΛEΞANΔPOY, Nike standing facing, head left, wreath in outstretched right hand, stylis cradled in left arm; IA monogram above ΣY in outer left field. Price -. Struck from meticulous, artistic dies on fully lustrous flan.
This specimen is enigmatic - the ΣY on the reverse is known in Price only from Carrhae however the style is nothing like what is typically found from that mint. Also, the ΣY appears to have been engraved over a different symbol which had been removed from the die. Perhaps the die was prepared elsewhere and transferred to Carrhae? Even so, the ΣY is only noted for a silver tetradrachm and hemidrachm. The IA monogram fails to point in a direction as well, since it's not attested at any mint in Price. Perhaps the key to discovering the origin is in the carefully designed helmet. Typically the serpent is executed in a large loop however on this masterful example the animal is looped and coiled around itself as seen on Mysian cistorphori. The hair style also is likely an attribute to eventually unlocking the mystery as the curly clusters are quite distinctive.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-macedonian-kingdom-alexander-iii-the-great-336-323-bc-av-stater-18mm-859-gm-12h-ngc-ms-5-5-4-5/a/3099-30008.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3099-05052022
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 5000-7000 USD