Not a top ten... is it? No. Just ten Macedonian shields that I bought this year. Top ten alert!

Not meaning to break anybodies SOP or protocol, but this is my partyand you're invited.
So, I give you ten of the coins that the average Joe on the street would use during the life of Alexander the Great and after into the Hellenistic period and beyond to buy some wine, to dine or get a little sixty... eight plus one
https://images.app.goo.gl/k9dLJnv3qoskh7c16

Of course, this isn't a top ten. This is just ten coins that you all might find dope that I bought this year

A very early MSC with a near perfect design, strike and slightly askew striking

Time of Alexander III in Macedon. ( Circa 325-310 BC).
AE Bronze (16.8 mm., 4,6 g ).
Macedonian shield with thunderbolt on boss / Macedonian helmet

Heavily coated kerykeion boss with that TV set with bunny ears monogram and a rose for your wife

Philip III Arrhidaios
(323-317 BC). Æ Half Unit (14mm, 4.30g, 12h). Sardes, c. 322-319/8 BC. Shield with kerykeion (caduceus) in central boss. R/ Macedonian helmet; monogram to l., rose to r.
Ex-Savoca

Basic and beautiful early

Time of Alexander III – Kassander Uncertain mint in Macedon. ( Circa 325-310 BC).
AE Bronze (16.8 mm., 4,6 g ).
Macedonian shield with thunderbolt on boss / Macedonian helmet, decorated with laurel wreath, thunderbolt below. Price 416. very fine. Purchased from Lydia Numismatics July 2021


The darker the fruit the sweeter the juice

Philip III Arrhidaios
(323-317 BC). Æ Half Unit (14mm, 4.30g, 12h). Sardes, c. 322-319/8 BC. Shield with kerykeion (caduceus) in central boss. R/ Macedonian helmet; kerykeion (caduceus) to r., rose to l; TI below. Price 2612.
Ex-Savoca

That is NOT a sperm below the helmet no matter what certain posters will have you believe

Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. Æ Unit (17mm 4.12 g). Uncertain Macedonian mint. Struck circa 334-310 BC. Macedonian shield with thunderbolt on boss / Macedonian helmet; ivy leaf below. Price 407; Liampi, Chronologie, series II, group 1, 55-65; SNG München 894; SNG Alpha Bank 836. VF, dark green patina. Purchased from Savoca Sept 2021

A complicated, due to the condition of the reverse, but rare to unique coin of Antigonos 2

Antigonos II Gonatas
(Circa 270-240 BC). Ae. Amphipolis.
Obv: Macedonian shield with king´s monogram on boss..
Rev: BAΣI.
Macedonian helmet between torch (right) and monogram (left).
SNG Alpha Bank 1002.
Condition: Extremely fine.
Weight: 4.55 g.
Diameter: 16 mm.
Ex: Savoca

Not the best monogram but lovely reverse and patination

Pyrrhos (of Epiros). 287-285 BC and 274-273 BC. Æ Unit (17mm, 4.75 g, 7h). Uncertain mint in Macedon. Monogram of Pyrrhos on boss of Macedonian shield / Macedonian helmet; BAΣI below; all within oak wreath. W. Weiser, “Ein neues Kupferstück des Pyrrhos als König der Makedonen” in SM 144 (November 1986), –; AMNG III –; SNG Alpha Bank 970; BMC Thessaly 38-9. VF, green patina.
Savoca Sept 2021
Extremely rare issue without reverse monograms. Coins of the Epeirote king Pyrrhos are known from many different mints, following his exploits around the northern Mediterranean. His two short tenures as king of Macedon, though, did not produce a very robust coinage. His rare issues are all bronze, and all have the same obverse type – his monogram on the boss of a Macedonian shield. The reverse type is also standard, a Macedonian helmet within an oak wreath, and the legend BAΣI below the helmet. Almost all of the known examples, though, have a monogram between the alpha and sigma in the legend. The present variety, without monogram is only known from the Alpha Bank and BMC specimens. None are present in any other published private or public collection. Purchased from Savoca Sept 2021

Son of the great's rock steady general Antigonus, Demetrius Poliorketes, with a great monogram strike

Demetrios I Poliorketes, 306-283 BCE. Pella. 3.37g, 15mm.
Obv: Macedonian shield with monogram in boss
Rev: BA-ΣΙ, crested Macedonian helmet
SNG Alpha Bank 969.
Purchased from AMCC3 July 2021

Treat yourself and look at the beauuuuuutiful countermark at 7 o’clock obverse, flip it upside down. And tell me that's not a Saweeeet eagle

LYDIA. Apollonis. (Circa 2nd-1st centuries BC)
AE Bronze (20,8mm., 4g.)
Macedonian shield, decorated with central star and four stars around. Countermark w/ Eagle wings spread. Rare
ΑΠΟΛΛΩ / ΝΙΔΕΩΝ.
Club right.
SNG von Aulock -; SNG Copenhagen 16; BMC -; SNG München 32; Lindgren II 154. Purchased from Lydia Numismatics July 2021

What!?!?!? "How wasn't this in your top ten you magnificent stallion Ryro?" You might ask. Cause it's my top ten MSCs and what I decide to post
Nevertheless this Drachm is exceedingly bodacious due to not only, first and foremost, THE FANTASTIC MACEDONIAN SHIELD (that Zeus is dribbling like a basketball) but also the high cheek boned male model Herakles obverse.

Alexander III
(336-323 BC).Uncertain in western Asia Minor.Drachm.
Obv : Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin.
Rev : AΛEΞANΔPOY.
Zeus seated left on throne, round shield in left field, grape bunch below throne.
Price 2705.
Condition : Somewhat porous.Some scratches on the reverse.Nicely toned.Very fine.
Weight : 4.1 gr
Diameter : 18 mm
Purchased from Biga December 2021

Okay ok. It is a top ten... or at least top 11-20 of over fifty MSCs of the year. Deal with it.
And I may post the rest if provoked



Thanks for taking a trip into the unknown and learning with me... while NOT just looking at an arbitrary top ten list

 

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Big fan of your shields. I've only got the one (that I bought from you) but they are interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

Great Macedonian protective gear, @Ryro . The Herakles drachm is excellent also.

Here’s a shield and helmet from the time of Herod the Great and son.

 

@Ryro.....Really nice selection, my favourites are your 1st, 3rd and 4th...
Thanks for sharing...

 

Can't believe I don't have one of those small bronze Macedonian shield coins. I've admired them forever and still remember seeing one owned by @Pishpash and thinking how awesome it was.

Congrats on continuing to find more of these fun coins, @Ryro! There are far more varieties than I ever imagined!

 

You're only allowed 9 Macedonian shields per post on CoinTalk. Reported for blatant disregard of the rules!

 

I don't know anything about bronze Macedonian shield coins, @Ryro, but did want to say how much I love the ones you've posted here. This really tempts me to go buy one myself!