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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ryro, post: 8063302, member: 91461&quot;]After last years MONSTER year of Macedonian Shield coins: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ryros-top-10-macedonian-shield-coins-of-2020.370866/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ryros-top-10-macedonian-shield-coins-of-2020.370866/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ryros-top-10-macedonian-shield-coins-of-2020.370866/</a> I figured there was no way that I could find 10 more historically meaningful, visually pleasing and rare MSCs then last year...</p><p>Well, buckle up Buckaroo Banzai! We are about to enter the 10th dimension<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie57" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie28" alt=":borg:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie24" alt=":blackalien:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Being that my niche, MSCs, doesn&#039;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<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Speaking of treats, now what we&#039;ve got here is a failure to put bushels or &quot;ears&quot; on a helmet as well as to write going forward<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie5" alt=":confused:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> That&#039;s right! This fun little Pyrrhic coin is a rarity for a couple of reasons: the Macedonian helmet is very well known for it&#039;s bushels, cheek guards etc. You wont find one on this helmet. And even more strange is the retrograde spelling of king&nbsp; Pyrrhos (that is the abbreviation for king and his monogram in reverse!).</p><p>If you recognize him it&#039;s cause he got written about on Pyrrhos B-day: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/otd-2339-years-ago-pyrrhos-the-baddest-greek-not-named-alex-or-phil-is-born.387464/#post-7939480" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/otd-2339-years-ago-pyrrhos-the-baddest-greek-not-named-alex-or-phil-is-born.387464/#post-7939480">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/otd-2339-years-ago-pyrrhos-the-baddest-greek-not-named-alex-or-phil-is-born.387464/#post-7939480</a> [ATTACH=full]1397708[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><u>Pyrrhos (of Epiros)</u></b></p><p>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&nbsp; and Pyrrhic monogram incuse, Macedonian helmet; labrys below; all within oak-wreath. SNG Alpha Bank 971. VF, green patina, a little porous. Very rare</p><p>Former: Savoca</p><p><br /></p><p>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&#039;t get into calling them the so-called &#039;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.</p><p>All that said, this has a BA on the reverse meaning it was minted for the king. Early on ATG didn&#039;t have the BA on his coins. So we know this is a later issue:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397683[/ATTACH]</p><p>Alexander III &#039;the Great&#039; (336-323 BC). Ae. Uncertain mint in Macedon.</p><p>Obv: Macedonian shield with thunderbolt on boss.</p><p>Rev: BA.</p><p>Macedonian helmet. Controls: Star and spearhead.</p><p>Price 411.</p><p>Weight: 5.28 g.</p><p>Diameter: 17 mm. Very fine.</p><p>Purchased from Savoca July 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Don&#039;t be surprised if you see a better version of this highly desirable type in next year&#039;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.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397709[/ATTACH]</p><p>MACEDON. Heraclea Sintica. Ae (Circa AD 100-150).</p><p>Obv: ΗΡΑΚΛΕΩTΩN.</p><p>Ornamented Macedonian shield.</p><p>Rev: ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡΥΜΟΝΙ.</p><p>Club. RPC III 667 (17 specimens); SNG Copenhagen 182. Fine. 1.93 g.</p><p>13 mm. Purchased from Numismatik Naumann Dr. F Jarman collection: Mints of Rome the Roman Empire. March 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>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:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397685[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><u>Alexander III – Kassander.</u></b> 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</p><p><br /></p><p>Yeah, you know you had a good year when you find a busted but beautiful (in hand that toning sings<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie83" alt=":singing:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />!) tetradrachm outside of your top 5. But that is exactly the year that I have had:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397704[/ATTACH]</p><p>Macedon under Roman Rule - First Meris, Amphipolis AR Tetradrachm (167-149 BC)</p><p>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</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Another rarity is this little space tripper<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie48" alt=":greyalien:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> (if you don&#039;t see the UFO on the reverse you need to find some tinfoil to put on your head to block their X-rays).</p><p>All of the types shown so far are considered &quot;Half Units&quot;. This little highly rare type is a teeny tiny 12mm &quot;Quarter Unit&quot;.</p><p>Oh, and if you didn&#039;t notice it bears the monogram of Demetrios I Poliorketes, son of the Antigonos &quot;The One eyed&quot;, general to ATG, and father to Antigonos II Gonatas savoir of the Antigonid dynasty:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397695[/ATTACH]</p><p>Demetrios I Poliorketes (306-283 BC). Ae. Quarter Unit</p><p>Obv: Macedonian shield with monogram of Demetrios on boss.</p><p>Rev: Macedonian helmet.</p><p>SNG Alpha Bank - (cf. 962-969).</p><p>Condition: Very fine.</p><p>Weight: 2.07 g.</p><p>Diameter: 12 mm.</p><p>One example in ACsearch from matching dies.</p><p>nearly very fine</p><p>Purchased from Savoca May 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Getting down to crunch time here. All of you Rome-aholics can appreciate this one. Though, if you&#039;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 <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />).</p><p>The date of the coin is especially appealing to me, as it is just 4 years before Gaius Gracchi&#039;s forced suicide/assassination and 6 years after Tiberius Gracchi&#039;s assassination. Their story always breaks my heart: </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397696[/ATTACH]</p><p>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 &amp; Fau 4/2021</p><p><br /></p><p>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<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie60" alt=":kiss:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>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.</p><p>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 &quot;lagobolon&quot; behind his head!</p><p>Fan enough of this coin, he did get his own write up out of me: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/antigonus-ii-gonatas-dont-panic-the-satyr-with-the-gonatas-to-walk-softly-carry-a-big-lagobolon.381753/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/antigonus-ii-gonatas-dont-panic-the-satyr-with-the-gonatas-to-walk-softly-carry-a-big-lagobolon.381753/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/antigonus-ii-gonatas-dont-panic-the-satyr-with-the-gonatas-to-walk-softly-carry-a-big-lagobolon.381753/</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397681[/ATTACH]</p><p>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&#039;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</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;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<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie26" alt=":bookworm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie77" alt=":pompous:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie33" alt=":cigar:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>He also got the write up treatment: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/lifetime-alexander-the-great-tetradrachm-earliest-coin-to-depict-macedonian-shield.387781/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/lifetime-alexander-the-great-tetradrachm-earliest-coin-to-depict-macedonian-shield.387781/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/lifetime-alexander-the-great-tetradrachm-earliest-coin-to-depict-macedonian-shield.387781/</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397679[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><u>Alexander III the Great</u></b></p><p>(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</p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p>But the waiting paid off<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie85" alt=":smuggrin:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>That said, this is a tet that I am very proud to have and worked hard to get:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397680[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><u>Philip V</u></b></p><p>(221-179 BC). Tetradrachm. Uncertain Macedonian mint.</p><p>Obv: Head of Perseus left, wearing winged helmet surmounted by griffin&#039;s head; harpa in background; all in the centre of Macedonian shield.</p><p>Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ.</p><p>Club right between legend in two lines; all within wreath right.</p><p>SNG München 1125; HGC 3.1, 1056.</p><p>Condition: Fine.</p><p>Weight: 16.91 g.</p><p>Diameter: 30 mm. Purchased from Numismatik Naumann November 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>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&#039;t foresee any MSCs coming into my life that&#039;ll upend these doozies.</p><p>I look forward to seeing which ones are all your favorites in the rankings.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie67" alt=":nailbiting:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>To all of you and all of yours Happy Saturnalia!!![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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