Exceptional Features

CNG 84, Lot: 294. Estimate $3000. Sold for $4200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of MACEDON. Antigonos I Monophthalmos. As Strategos of Asia, 323-305 BC. AV Stater (19mm, 8.55 g, 8h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Babylon mint. Struck under Peithon, circa 315-311 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right, helmet decorated with pellet(?), wearing hoop earring / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; monogram in wreath below left wing. Price -; Waggoner, Babylon 258a-b var. (design on helmet); SNG Copenhagen 637 var. (same). EF, tiny die break in hair above ear on obverse. Extremely rare with this helmet decoration and hoop style earring.

In the compilation of his massive work on the coinage in the name of Alexander, Price unfortunately missed this variety with the monogram in the wreath and no subsidiary symbol. Waggoner identified two examples, one in Copenhagen and one in the BM. This particular specimen is exceptional, even among these two known examples. First, the helmet has what appears to be a large pellet at the base of the crest, rather than the usual coiled serpent, springing/flying griffin, or seated sphinx. The pellet could not even be a remnant of one of these usual symbols. Second, and perhaps most astonishing, is the earring worn by Athena. At all periods and mints that struck this coinage, Athena is almost exclusively depicted wearing a single-pendant earring or no earring. Here, however, she is clearly wearing a simple hoop earring. The only other instances in which this type of earring appears is on isolated issues at Magnesia (cf. Price 1976 illustration) and Sardes (ADM I obv. dies 224-5).