KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’, 336-323 BC. Distater (Gold, 21 mm, 17.20 g, 10 h), Amphipolis, struck under Antipater, Polyperchon, or Kassander, circa 321-316. Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a coiled serpent. Rev. AΛEΞANΔΡOΥ Nike standing front, head to left, with her wings spread, holding laurel wreath in her right hand and stylis in her left; in field to left, kantharos. HGC 3.1, 892a. Müller 192. Price 167. Triton VIII (2005), 161 (same dies). Troxell, Studies, Group C, - (DO2/-, unlisted reverse die). Very rare and well preserved. Minor edge scuff and the reverse struck slightly off center, otherwise, good very fine.



In 1997, Troxell classified Alexander's Macedonian distaters into three groups, with Group A from Amphipolis being by far the most common. She identified twenty-two obverse dies, with several more discovered since. Our piece belongs to the very rare Group C, of which Troxell recorded only three obverse dies. One distinguishing feature of this group is that only two, rather than three, ends of the helmet crests are depicted.