Clarifies Newell’s Study

CNG 84, Lot: 286. Estimate $2500. Sold for $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AV Stater (19mm, 8.60 g, 12h). In the name and types of Alexander III. Ake mint. Dated CY 25 (322/1 BC). Helmeted and draped bust of Athena right, griffin on helmet / Nike standing left, holding wreath and stylis; date below left wing: -|O above || ||| =. Price 3261; Newell, Dated 22 (dies I/β - incorrectly listed under year 26). EF, underlying luster.

This coin is important as it clarifies some aspects of the coinage at Ake for this period. Newell only located one coin from these dies, in Berlin, but that example had its date off the flan. He placed it under year 26 based on the style of the obverse (Newell p. 45, n. 10), but also probably because of the position of the name of Alexander. In his note 8, he places a coin with missing date under year 25 because all the other examples of that year had the name of Alexander on the left, which was moved to the right on all the examples Newell located for year 26. The present coin, from the same dies as the Berlin specimen, has the name on the right, but clearly shows the year 25. Thus, the dies for this coin belong under Newell’s year 25, and it was in that year that the name moved from the one side to the other at Ake. One other point of correction: in his study, Newell’s numbering for the reverse dies is not continuous, but begins anew at each year. As such, the correct die pairing for this coin, under year 25 (Newell issue 22), would be dies I/γ.