KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’, 336-323 BC. Distater (Gold, 22 mm, 17.26 g, 12 h), Amphipolis, struck under Antipater, circa 325-323/2. 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, trident head downward. HGC 3.1, 892a. Müller 104. Price 171. SNG Copenhagen 622. Troxell, Studies, Group A and pl. 24, 532-3. Lustrous, very well struck in high relief and perfectly centered on a broad flan, an unusually well preserved example. Very minor die rust on the obverse, otherwise, virtually as struck.


Alexander's distaters were called χρυσοῖ Ἀλεξάνδρειοι μεγάλοι, meaning 'large staters of Alexander.' Weighing just over 17 grams, they matched the weight of the king's Attic tetradrachms - but in gold. Given the prevailing gold-to-silver ratio of 1:10, this meant they were valued at ten Attic tetradrachms or forty Attic drachms.