In a recent post it was discussed that the coins with the left facing Zeus in Philip II's silver coins signified it being a lifetime issue. But what about Apollo on his bronze issues? And what about the even more rare double lefty?? The Greeks were superstitious about left. So what does it mean??? While studying up on the type I stumbled across a great write up and subset of @Alegandron's from my second month on the board! https://www.cointalk.com/threads/philip-ii-ae-fun.309565/ I had some loose hope in my heart that this may be a Macedonian shield that the south hoof horse is jumping over. But alas, not only is it not, but we're not even sure what it is! The sellers description said star. It didn't look at all like a star. As @Greekandromamcoins points out the control mark is described as, "with a 'lion's' head (alternatively described as a head of Helios, crab, thunderbolt or unknown symbol, depending on the reference)". So that makes what it is as clear as mud. Though, once I got the coin in hand I wonder if this explanation is mixing numerous types. As his, Gandy's and mine all look a bit different. I believe mine must resembles a, wait for it... head of Helios!!! Now I don't have the whole subset, since I just found out about it this morning. But here are a couple more of the man who almost ruled the world So, let's see those bronze Philip IIs (ok,ok,) and silver and gold or anything that stabs you in the ribs, trips over a vine and cuts you down!
My first Greek coin! Kings of Macedon, Philip II (359-336 BC). Æ Unit. Uncertain mint in Macedon. Diademed head of Apollo r. R/ Youth on horseback riding r.; monogram and trident head below. SNG ANS 908
BURNIN’ DOWN THE HOUSE! Makedon Philip II 359-336 BC AE 17 Horse Rider LEFT-LEFT facing scarce Makedon Philip II 359-336 BC AE 19 Horse Hound LEFT-RIGHT Makedon Philip II 359-336 BC AE 17 Apollo - Horse Rider RIGHT-LEFTfacing Makedon Philip II AE 18 Apollo - Youth Horseback spear hd below 359-356 BCE 18mm 6.2g SNG ANS 850-1 RIGHT RIGHT
Here's a bronze Philip II! Philip II as Caesar under Philip I, AD 244-247. Roman Æ sestertius, 19.61 g, 28.3 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 245-246. Obv: M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENT S C, Philip II in military dress, standing left, holding globe and resting on spear. Refs: RIC 256a; Cohen 49; RCV 9249; Hunter 14. You mean Philip II of Macedon?!! Why didn't you say so??? How about this one? It's a double righty. Philip II of Macedon. Æ Unit, 6.30 g, 18.6 mm. Kingdom of Macedon, uncertain mint. Obv: Diademed head of Apollo, r. Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ, youth on horseback r.; thunderbolt below. Refs: Bellinger 43; SNG ANS 883.
My one bronze coin (actually my one coin, period) of Philip II of Macedon. I bought it at one of the recent JAZ Numismatics auctions by our own @John Anthony. It's obviously been over-cleaned, but I like the way it looks anyway. Macedon, Philip II (359-336 BCE) (posthumous), AE 19. Obv. Head of Apollo right, hair bound with taenia [diadem] / Rev. Youth on horseback right wearing petasos, vertical thunderbolt below, ΦIΛIΠΠOY above. SNG ANS 839, 880-882 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, USA, The Collection of the American Numismatic Society, Part 8: Macedonia 2 (Alexander I-Philip II) (New York 1994)]; http://www.coinproject.com/coin_detail.php?coin=183292; cf. SNG Alpha Bank 427 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Greece 2, The Alpha Bank Collection. Macedonia I: Alexander I - Perseus (Athens, 2000)]. 19 mm., 6.19 g., 12 h. Purchased from JAZ Auction 175, Feb. 2021, ex. Savoca Coins, DePew Collection.
Are you certain that that's a vertical thunderbolt below the horse? From the photo it looks like it might be a weakly-struck monogram. Perhaps it is clearer in hand.
I'm afraid that it's not really any clearer in hand, but all the descriptions I looked at for this kind of coin call it a vertical thunderbolt.