Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 72. Estimate CHF3500.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. Stater (Gold, ), Babylon, c. 323-317. Head of Athena to right, wearing pendant earring, necklace and crested Corinthian helmet adorned with serpent coiled to right Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ Nike standing left, holding wreath in her right hand and stylis with her left; below her left wing, ΥΛ (sic!); to left, Μ. Price P180 var. A superb piece, perfectly centered and with an interesting engraver’s mistake. Good extremely fine.

From the SF Collection, USA.

On the die for this coin the engraver made ΥΛ instead of ΛΥ: given how important Alexander’s issues from Babylon were, it is clear that they must have been made very rapidly and in great numbers (of course the vast, vast majority have been since melted down). Nevertheless, aside from tiny slips such as the one here, the quality of the Babylonian Alexanders is outstanding.