Ryro's Top 10 Macedonian Shield Coins of 2021: Year of the Tets

After last years MONSTER year of Macedonian Shield coins: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ryros-top-10-macedonian-shield-coins-of-2020.370866/ I figured there was no way that I could find 10 more historically meaningful, visually pleasing and rare MSCs then last year...
Well, buckle up Buckaroo Banzai! We are about to enter the 10th dimension

Being that my niche, MSCs, doesn't have many folks that I can really share my appreciation with many of these coins have not been shown on CT before and or have had write ups that I never finished. So, hopefully for the few MSC/ATG/military lovers out there this post is a treat

Speaking of treats, now what we've got here is a failure to put bushels or "ears" on a helmet as well as to write going forward That's right! This fun little Pyrrhic coin is a rarity for a couple of reasons: the Macedonian helmet is very well known for it's bushels, cheek guards etc. You wont find one on this helmet. And even more strange is the retrograde spelling of king Pyrrhos (that is the abbreviation for king and his monogram in reverse!).
If you recognize him it's cause he got written about on Pyrrhos B-day: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ot...med-alex-or-phil-is-born.387464/#post-7939480
Pyrrhos (of Epiros)
287-285 BC and 274-273 BC. Æ 18mm (3.17 g, 8h). Uncertain Macedonian mint. Macedonian shield with monogram of Pyrrhos in central boss / BAΣI and Pyrrhic monogram incuse, Macedonian helmet; labrys below; all within oak-wreath. SNG Alpha Bank 971. VF, green patina, a little porous. Very rare
Former: Savoca

Next up, we have a pretty coin bought for sake of being pretty. The most common MSCs are not the gorgon nor Herakles boss (center of shield) but rather the thunderbolt of Zeus in the center. Katerini Liampi, in her bible on MSCs “On the chronology of the so-called ‘anonymous’ Macedonian coins of the late 4th century BCE” (I know, I know. I can't get into calling them the so-called 'anonymous Macedonian coins. MSC! Keep it simple silly) puts these as the first type of boss emblem and also has these with, by far, the most diverse reverses of the type.
All that said, this has a BA on the reverse meaning it was minted for the king. Early on ATG didn't have the BA on his coins. So we know this is a later issue:

Alexander III 'the Great' (336-323 BC). Ae. Uncertain mint in Macedon.
Obv: Macedonian shield with thunderbolt on boss.
Rev: BA.
Macedonian helmet. Controls: Star and spearhead.
Price 411.
Weight: 5.28 g.
Diameter: 17 mm. Very fine.
Purchased from Savoca July 2021

Don't be surprised if you see a better version of this highly desirable type in next year's instalment. On the rare occasion that this puppies show up on market they get snatched up for mucho pesos! The design in the middle (that you can barely see) is three intersecting circles with beautiful designs inside of them as well.

MACEDON. Heraclea Sintica. Ae (Circa AD 100-150).
Obv: ΗΡΑΚΛΕΩTΩN.
Ornamented Macedonian shield.
Rev: ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡΥΜΟΝΙ.
Club. RPC III 667 (17 specimens); SNG Copenhagen 182. Fine. 1.93 g.
13 mm. Purchased from Numismatik Naumann Dr. F Jarman collection: Mints of Rome the Roman Empire. March 2021

Here we have a unique object under the helmet. It is unlike any other symbol listed under the helmet on these types. You have thunderbolts, chin straps, crayfish, dots and even dolphins. But whatever this is, there is not another type like it that I have come across:

Alexander III – Kassander. Circa 325-310 BC. Æ Half Unit (19mm, 5.19 g). Uncertain mint in Macedon. Macedonian shield with thunderbolt on boss / Macedonian helmet, decorated with laurel wreath; branch (?) below. Possibly Unique. VF. Purchased from Savoca October 2021

Yeah, you know you had a good year when you find a busted but beautiful (in hand that toning sings!) tetradrachm outside of your top 5. But that is exactly the year that I have had:

Macedon under Roman Rule - First Meris, Amphipolis AR Tetradrachm (167-149 BC)
16.33 g. 30mm. VF-/VF Diademed and draped bust of Artemis to right, bow and quiver over shoulder, all within tondo of Macedonian shield / Horizontal club to right, ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ above, ΠΡΩΤΗΣ below, monogram in upper central field, two monograms below; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to left. SNG Copenhagen 1314; AMNG III, 176. very fine, restored


Another rarity is this little space tripper (if you don't see the UFO on the reverse you need to find some tinfoil to put on your head to block their X-rays).
All of the types shown so far are considered "Half Units". This little highly rare type is a teeny tiny 12mm "Quarter Unit".
Oh, and if you didn't notice it bears the monogram of Demetrios I Poliorketes, son of the Antigonos "The One eyed", general to ATG, and father to Antigonos II Gonatas savoir of the Antigonid dynasty:

Demetrios I Poliorketes (306-283 BC). Ae. Quarter Unit
Obv: Macedonian shield with monogram of Demetrios on boss.
Rev: Macedonian helmet.
SNG Alpha Bank - (cf. 962-969).
Condition: Very fine.
Weight: 2.07 g.
Diameter: 12 mm.
One example in ACsearch from matching dies.
nearly very fine
Purchased from Savoca May 2021

Getting down to crunch time here. All of you Rome-aholics can appreciate this one. Though, if you've been paying attention this is the third Roman coin I have posted (Heraclea Sintica is AD 100-150) and the second Roman Republic coin (that sweet but damaged tet dates to 167-149 BC...wish she would date me ).
The date of the coin is especially appealing to me, as it is just 4 years before Gaius Gracchi's forced suicide/assassination and 6 years after Tiberius Gracchi's assassination. Their story always breaks my heart:

Acilius. Denarius. 125 BC. Rome. (Ffc-92). (Craw-271/1). (Cal-64). Anv.: Head of Roma right, ROMA below, BALBVS, (interlace AL), behind, if below chin, all in laurel-wreath. Rev.: Jupiter and Victory in quadriga right, round Macedonian shield below horses, MN. ACILI. (interlace MN), in exergue. Ag. 3,71 g. Choice VF/VF. Purchased from Tauler & Fau 4/2021

Before you say anything about the wear, check out those legs on Athena that go all the way up until they make an As of themselves. VaVaVoom
As well, you can still see the face of Medusa on her shield. You know. The one that Perseus gave to her. More on that dude in just a minute or two.
I also am a fan of Pan in this one. Some of them he looks fairly cartoonish. Here he looks like a real brute. And with his whomping stick "lagobolon" behind his head!
Fan enough of this coin, he did get his own write up out of me: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an...-to-walk-softly-carry-a-big-lagobolon.381753/

Antigonos II Gonatas - Demetrios II Aitolikos, 277/6-239 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 16.78 g, 5 h), Amphipolis, circa 246/5-229. Horned head of Pan to left, wearing goat's skin around his neck and with lagobolon behind; all within the center of a Macedonian shield adorned with stars and crescents. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIΓONOΥ Athena Alkidemos striding to left, hurling thunderbolt with her upraised right hand and holding shield with her left; in field to left, Macedonian helmet with transverse crest; in field to right, monogram of HΛ. Panagopoulou Period III, Group 10, 52 (011/R - but similar to R50). SNG Ashmolean 3258. Well centered. Purchased from Herakles Numismatics May 2021

I'd wanted a lifetime Alexander tet for some time. But even more than that I wanted one with a MSC on the reverse. Lucky for me Price 57 has both
He also got the write up treatment: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/li...iest-coin-to-depict-macedonian-shield.387781/

Alexander III the Great
(336-323 BC). AR tetradrachm (28mm, 10h). ANACS XF 40. Lifetime issue of Amphipolis, ca. 336-323 BC. Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied before neck / AΛEΞANΔPOY, Zeus seated left on backless throne, left leg drawn back, feet on ground line, eagle in right hand, scepter in left; Macedonian shield in left field. Price 57. Purchased from Heritage Auctions October 2021

This coin is my favorite coin of the year, MSC or non. It is a coin that I have sought for a long time and the demand is such that getting my hands on one that I was passionate enough to pay that kind of money for took some time.
But the waiting paid off
Much like I LOVE MSCs, Philip V, the last GREAT king of Macedon, loved him some Perseus. So much that he named his son, the last king of Macedon, after him. And also references him very much on his coinage. Ie harpas, hats, etc.
This and my #2 (hehe) are both true grail coins for collectors of MSCs. Believe it or not I get almost as much of a thrill coming across bronze rarities of MSCs as I do looking at the tets. There is just not as much fun symbols, monograms and design on the tets.
That said, this is a tet that I am very proud to have and worked hard to get:

Philip V
(221-179 BC). Tetradrachm. Uncertain Macedonian mint.
Obv: Head of Perseus left, wearing winged helmet surmounted by griffin's head; harpa in background; all in the centre of Macedonian shield.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ.
Club right between legend in two lines; all within wreath right.
SNG München 1125; HGC 3.1, 1056.
Condition: Fine.
Weight: 16.91 g.
Diameter: 30 mm. Purchased from Numismatik Naumann November 2021

Hopefully you all learned something and or enjoyed the coinage. I hope to put together my actual year end up a little closer to the end of the year but don't foresee any MSCs coming into my life that'll upend these doozies.
I look forward to seeing which ones are all your favorites in the rankings.
To all of you and all of yours Happy Saturnalia!!!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I really love the one with the macedonian shield on it

Q

 

Har har. I almost put a non shield Macedonian coin on here just to make sure everyone was paying attention

 

Man, oh man! How could that Philip V with Perseus in a griffin head helmet not be number 1!!! Did I mention it had a GRIFFIN HEAD HELMET?? I can't imagine the bidding war you must have been involved in to secure that one at Naumann!! It's a battleground in the high-end auction scene!



And you gotta love that callipygian Athena on that Amphipolis tet!!



I'm a fan of that RR denarius, the Macedonian shield notwithstanding That's the kind of reverse that says "Move over, little dog, the big ol' dog's movin' in!"

 

Here's one I don't often see, with the helmet pointed left:

KINGS OF MACEDON. District Bottiaia. Time of Philip V and Perseus (187-168 BC). Æ (17 mm, 5.44 gm). Pella mint. Obv: Macedonian shield with whirl on boss. Rev: MAKEΔONΩN. split to right and left. Macedonian helmet left; monogram below, left. AMNG 152

 

@Ryro really nice Macedonian shield coins! I have a few and appreciate them, though due to my collecting niche I only pick up those between 360 BCE and 260 BCE. I never noticed on your Pyrrhos that his emblem seems to be on both the obverse and the reverse!

My favorite is probably the Alexander tet with the shield. I didn't even know there was one.

Here's one of my own favorite MSC coins. You get three shields for the price of one!


There's probably some interesting story on why Eupolemos chose this design. Sadly, it seems to have been lost to time.

 

I was expecting more Macedonian shields hopefully next year you will buy more.
Really like the Philip V, especially the obverse design. I don't think I have seen this design until today.
Big fan of Artemis, the coin is beautiful and it's very good that it was restored.
Also like the Pan and Athena coin.

Congratulations for a shielded year!
Here is the only relevant coin in my collection, bought to have an example.

 

..great additions Ryro!

 

Thanks @Roman Collector always happy to hear some George Thorogood
LOVE your Boetian swirl with the sideways helmet @PeteB and you're right, you don't see them often
Here's mine:

Right in @kirispupis ! Good eye noticing Pyrrhos multiple monograms. The guy knew how to brag!
And great triple shield stack! Love that patina on yours.
Here's mine:


Sorry @ambr0zie my brother from another mother, but they'll only let me post ten shields in the OP
I did your MSC. Here are a few of the type:

 

Great year end (almost) roundup of Macedonian shields and helmets, @Ryro .

Here are some Judaean versions.

 

Thanks DR! I've been hunting one of those helmets for a while! And your shield is fantastic... and they can get pricey.
Here's one that wasn't

 

Nice shields pickup, @Ryro.

The Macedon shield coins are cool. I also like the lifetime Alexander tetradrachm with a shield control mark.

 

Nice set of shields, @Ryro. Congrats on an excellent year!
I totally understand why you put Perseus on 1. Who wouldn't? Great coin!

(still no Macedonian shield to show here...)

 

Super additions Ryro. Shields are definately the theme of your new aquisitions This Cavalier d'or ND from Holland/ Philip le Bon/ shows Duke riding into battle on his war horse/ reverse Burgundian Shield/Arms

 

Thanks so much Pan-man!
And thanks for sharing that majestic beauty
Action packed obverse, well centered andstruck as well skilfully carved dies... and then the shield itself
Around when were these minted?... and if you if you ever feel like rolling one of these down the street I'd happily pick it up
Though I don't think there is a more Action packed MSC than the pan-athenaic gonads II:


I do firmly believe that I can justify putting this beauty in as a MSC. It's a coin of Seleucus with possibly Alexander helmeted. All that aside, the shields on the trophies of these coins vary. Some have the Macedonian sun rays, Herakles, a lion and even a gorgon. As I believe my trophies Macedonian shield to be.
Not exactly Action packed, but poetry in motion as Nike's strut over to the trophy shows:

 

Other than the Eupolemos above, here's every MSC I own.

(Yes, I remember the obverse of this one is upside down, but I haven't reshot it yet)

Alexander the Great
Sardeis 323-319 BCE
14mm 4.45g
Minted by Menander or Kleitos the White
Price 2605
Ex Savoca


Macedonian Interregnum
Macedonian mint 288-277 BCE
3.95 g Sear 6781
Ex Numiscorner


Pyrrhos of Epiros
Pella 287-285 BCE or 274-273 BCE
AE 17mm 4.42g 5h
AMNG III/2, -. HGC 3, 272. SNG Alpha Bank 970
Ex Nomos


Kings of Macedon, Antigonos II Gonatas (277/6-239 BC)
AR Tetradrachm (31mm, 16.85g, 3h)
Amphipolis, c. 274/1-260/55.
Horned head of Pan l., lagobolon over shoulder, in the centre of a Macedonian shield. R/ Athena Alkidemos advancing l., preparing to cast thunderbolt; crested Macedonian helmet to inner l., monogram to inner r. HGC 3, 1042.
Ex London Ancient Coins

I also have a Macedonian helmet coin - right after the shield you need the helmet.

Kassander, 305-298 BC. AE
Struck under Pleistarchos 301-298 BCE

Finally, I have a TSC.

Thebes, Boeotia
AR stater 368-364 BCE
12.062g 21.2mm
Kabi magistrate
BCD Boiotia 539, BMC Central p.83, 150; SNG Cop 339; Hepworth 61
Ex Forum Ancient Coins

 

Great coins! I like the Roman horses stomping on a Macedonian shield and the head of Perseus wearing a winged helmet surmounted by griffin's head. I think the griffin looks like a rooster.

 

These are wonderful, @Ryro! I voted for the Roman Republican coin (surprise!), the Antigonos, and the Philip V with Perseus.

I have a grand total of one coin depicting a Macedonian shield. I've shown it before, but why not again?

Roman Republic, M. Caecilius Q.f. Metelllus, AR Denarius, 127 BC (Crawford, RSC, Sear), ca. 126 BCE (Mattingly, op. cit. at p. 258, Table 3), Rome Mint. Obv. Head of Roma right in winged helmet, star on helmet flap, ROMA upwards behind, * (XVI ligature, mark of value = 16 asses) below chin / Rev. Macedonian shield, decorated with elephant head in center wearing bell, M METELLVS Q F around beginning at 6:00, all within laurel wreath. Crawford 263/1(a), Sydenham 480, RSC I Caecilia 29, Russo RBW 1064, Sear RCV I 139 (ill.). 19.5 mm., 3.80 g., 9 hr.*



*The coin is classified as Crawford 263/1a because the obverse "ROMA" legend goes upwards; the ROMA on 263/1b goes downwards. The moneyer was Consul in 115 BCE. The reverse design of a Macedonian shield encircled by a laurel wreath honors the moneyer's father, Q. Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, who defeated the Macedonian pretender Andriscus in 148 BCE. See Crawford p. 288, Sear p. 99. Sear calls the coin “an early example of a moneyer commemorating his family history” (id.), and Mattingly states that the moneyer “broke new ground by honoring a living father.” (See Harold B. Mattingly, “Roman Republican Coinage ca. 150-90 B.C.,” in From Coins to History (2004), pp. 199-226 at p. 220 [emphasis in original].)

The elephant head in the center of the shield, as with other coins of the Caecilii Metelli, recalls the victory of L. Caecilius Metellus, Cos. 251, over Hasdrubal at the Battle of Panormus in 250 BCE, and the capture of 100 of Hasdrubal’s elephants, which were paraded at Metullus’s triumph. See Crawford p. 288 (referencing the discussion on p. 287 of the symbolism of the elephant head on the reverse of Crawford 262); Mattingly p. 219 & n. 75.

Also, your leggy Athena is certainly enviable. (Says I at 5'1"!) However, I have a coin from Thessaly on which I would argue that her legs are even longer, since they don't appear to be interrupted by her bottom:

Thessaly, Thessalian League (under Roman Republic from 146 BCE, Province of Macedonia). Mid-late 1st century BCE, AR Stater ( = Double Victoriatus = 1.5 denarius), Magistrates Italos and Diokles. Obv. Head of Zeus right, wearing oak wreath, [ITAΛOY] [behind head, off flan] / Rev. Helmeted Athena Itonia advancing right, holding shield with left hand and preparing to hurl spear with right hand; vertical legend ΘΕΣΣΑ-ΛΩN to left and right of Athena; ΔIO-KΛHΣ above spear, N-I across field. BCD Thessaly II 874.4 [CNG, The BCD Collection of the Coinage of Thessaly, Triton XV Auction, Jan. 3, 2012, Lot 874.4 (this coin)]; HGC 4, 210 [Hoover, Oliver, Handbook of Coins of Northern and Central Greece: . . . Thessaly . . . ., Sixth to First Centuries BC, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series,Vol. 4 (2014)]; McClean II 4797-4798 [Grose, S., Catalogue of the McClean Collection of Greek Coins, Fitzwilliam Museum, Vol. II, The Greek Mainland, the Aegean islands, Crete (Cambridge, 1926)]. 20 mm., 6.09 g., 12 h. [According to BCD: From Hoard found Dec. 1996, West of Karditsa,Thessaly, Greece.]

 

That's a fabulous Pan on your Antigonos Gonatas and the Philip V is one of a kind. You did really well.
Voted for Alexander the Great - Just a cherry MSC, Antogonos and Philip V

 

Excellent year of the shield my friend! I have read through your list multiple times and I think I will have to agree with your top 3... you know what they say about great minds and all that
#1 A wonderful coin from an interesting period and ruler. Great stuff
#2 A LIFETIME ATG tet and a sheild!!! This coin was meant for you buddy. Love it!
#3 Why don’t you leave some tets for the rest of us bro?? Another home run.

Whoa whoa whoa... don’t hold out on us Ryro. CT would not be what it is without our specialist illustrating the glorious minutia of their chosen interest. I love those threads even when they get above my head so far I can’t add much to the discussion.

I don’t have an Macedonian Shield but I did manage to acquire a helmet from the vaunted Ryro armory last year.


As far as shields as the primary design feature go I’m not sure if this one counts or not. It is the Aegis. Sometimes shown as part of a shield and sometimes shown as part of breastplate armor.


Great year and great list!