ALEXANDER THE GREAT GOLD STATER – SALAMIS MINT SPECIMEN FROM REFINED STYLE DIES – NGC CH AU GREEK MACEDONIAN COIN (INV. 21274)

$13,500.00

21274. MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. ALEXANDER III THE GREAT, 336–323 BC.
Gold Stater, 8.60 g, 18 mm. LIFETIME issue of Salamis, Cyprus, ca. 332–323 BC.
Obv. Head of Athena right, wearing large Corinthian helmet with coiled snake ornament below the plume. Rev. AΛEΞANΔPOY, Nike standing, her hair gathered in a topknot, looking left, holding wreath in right hand and stylis, eagle standing left in left field.
Price 3126.
NGC CH AU, Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5. Rare emission of refined style with only three similar specimens in the Pella database [ANS 1949.151.2 (same dies); Münzkabinett Berlin 18250985 (same dies); British Museum 1878,0301.51 (same reverse die)] and ten in market records.

The issues bearing the eagle symbol are the first to be struck at Salamis and belong among those produced during Alexander’s lifetime. This specimen is particularly attractive with a superb head of Athena and a remarkable full-head Nike. Alexander’s name is written out in an unusually small script and both obverse and reverse dies preserve a fine circle around the types, used as a centering aide for the engraver so that he can orient his work properly on the die.