Triton XVI, Lot: 280. Estimate $500. Sold for $1500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Philip II – Alexander III. Circa 340/36-328 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 14.07 g, 3h). In the name and types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath / ΦIΛIΠ-ΠOY, nude youth, holding palm in right hand and reins in left, on horseback right; Janiform head below raised foreleg. Le Rider – (D218/R– [unlisted rev. die]); SNG ANS 529–32; SNG Saroglos 55. Good VF, slight granularity, light die rust on obverse, minor die shift on reverse. Interesting die link between two issues with Janiform head.

In Le Rider, the obverse die 218 is known on issues with a janiform head below the raised foreleg, but with the additional symbol of a bee below the horse. On the illustrated examples in Le Rider, the die rust visible on the present piece is not evident, which suggests that this coin was struck at a later time. This calls into question the relative chronology of the two issues, Janiform head alone and Janiform head with bee. Die links between the Janiform head alone issue and other issues suggested this issue preceded the issue with the additional bee, but this die link now suggests the two issues may have been at least partially concurrent.