This little AE15 is credited to Alexander the Great by both Price and Hoover (HGC). Maybe I'm imagining this, but I thought someone on CT said a similar coin was actually minted by Antigonos II. Before I go assigning this to AtG, can anyone tell me if this is still the correct attribution? Thanks for any enlightenment that you can share. Kingdon of Macedon AE15 1/2 unit Alexander III ("the Great"), 336-323 B.C. Obv: Macedonian shield, with thunderbolt on boss Rev: B - A on either side of helmet Price 397 HGC 3.1, 956 15 mm, 4.4g Anyone else have a Macedonian shield to show us?
According to Price the this coinage started circa 325 BC and ended in 310 BC. Troxell places the first issue of tetradrachm minted at the mint of Amphipolis with the title of Basileos after the death of Alexander in 323 BC. However Le Rider has challenged this assumption stating that the title Basileos was initiated no sooner than 322 BC which would make the likelihood of this coinage being produced during Alexander's lifetime rather tenuous. These little coins are most likely posthumous minted during the reigns of Alexander IV Philip III and later. Your coin which is emblazoned with a thunderbolt is list by Hoover under the heading of Alexander IV and would be HGC 956 I had one of these many years ago and this will be the fourth time I have broken my rule. Again this would be one listed by Hoover under Alexander IV HGC 958 THIS IS NO LONGER MY COIN
Very good looking thunderbolt boss! Though, they are one of the most plentiful types, it's hard to get one in a good of shape as yours. Looks like this great group of CTers already got your answer... but I'm not gonna pass up the opportunity to share an MSC... or 3! Ant II, Gonatas always has his monogram on his bronze shields: Antigonos II Gonatas 277/6-239 BC. Æ 18mm (3.85 g). Macedonian shield with monogram of Antigonos in central boss / Macedonian helmet; three monograms around. SNG Copenhagen 1222. Very fine. Ex: Savoca His dad had coins in his name with gorgons on them, that were minted by his son Demetrius the besieger: Antigonos I Monophthalmos As king, 306/5-301 BC. Æ Unit (16mm, 4.56 g, 12h). Salamis mint. Struck under Demetrios I Poliorketes. Macedonian shield, boss decorated with facing gorgoneion / Macedonian helmet; kerykeion and monogram to lower left and right. Price 3159 (c. 323-315 BC) And then your guess is as good as mine to whether The one eyed minted these or if it was Alexander's older brother: Philip III Arrhidaeus Uncertain mint in Western Asia Minor. (323-317 BCE)/ Or Antigonus Gonatas (288-277 BCE) Bronze Æ Half-bronze unit, (PB, 16) No. v19-0059 16mm, 12 hours. 4.11g. No. 110 in the reference books: Cop.- - MP.2803 pl. 110 Obverse, Three-quarter-front head (Herakles?) to the right placed in the center of a Macedonian shield. Reverse, Macedonian helmet; in the field on the right, a caduceus; monogram in the left field. Caption setback: B-A Ex: Savoca
Weird. I looked my coin up in Hoover and got the same number you mentioned--956--but somehow missed the transition from Alexander III to Alexander IV. I guess I just rushed past all the silver coinage to get to the bronze and didn't notice that I'd skipped a ruler. In going back and checking, I realize that the bronze club, bow and quiver coins also span several rulers. I know the ones with B - A on the reverse date from 325 B.C. onward, but I'm confused about the ones with AΛEΧANΔPOY. I have one--Denomination B--with the club above and the bow and quiver below but without any monogram or symbol. Can this be attributed to a specific ruler?
In reply to gsimonel. The Aes coinage in the name of Alexander have simply not been studied to any degree. Unfortunately neither has the aes coinage of his father Philip II. Because of this we cannot tell if Alexander continued to mint aes coins in the name of his father, nor can we really separate those issues minted for Philip III. Thus it is very difficult to ascertain which of the aes coinage in the name and types of Alexander III are lifetime. So given the very limited amount of information available, that except for the issues with Basileos and those cited by Hoover or Price as being posthumous. You are reasonably safe to assume that the ae coins in the name of Alexander are likely to be lifetime. However I would think that the coin with the best chance to be a lifetime issue is this one Alexander III Ae Unit Rv eagle HGC 928 The few that I have seen of this type tend to have a high relief obverse image. Again this is NO LONGER my coin.
Thank you, @Terence Cheesman. I feel less stupid now. If I am confused about whether or not a bronze coin is a lifetime issue, at least I'm in very good company!
