KINGS OF MACEDON. Time of Antigonos II Gonatas, Demetrios II Aitolikos, and Antigonos III Doson, 246/5-229 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 17.06 g, 11 h), Amphipolis (?). Head of Poseidon to right, wearing wreath of seaweed. Rev. Apollo seated to left on prow, holding bow in his right hand and resting his left on the galley; on the planks, BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANTIΓONOΥ in two lines; in exergue, monogram. HGC 3.1, 1051. Panagopoulou, TEA, Group 44, 222 (O33/R212). SNG Berry 362 (same obverse die). SNG Lockett 1527 (same obverse die). SNG München 1123 (same obverse die). Beautifully toned and with a magnificent head of Poseidon of fine style. A few minor die breaks, otherwise, good extremely fine.



The attribution of the beautiful Poseidon-tetradrachms of a 'King Antigonos' with Apollo seated on a prow on the reverse has long presented a challenge. Initially, these coins were ascribed to Antigonos II Gonatas, believed to commemorate his triumph in the Battle of Kos, where he defeated a Ptolemaic fleet sometime in the late 260s or early 250s BC, after which he dedicated his flagship, the trireme 'Isthmia', to Apollo. Subsequently, some commentators attributed the coins to Antigonos III Doson, associating them with his brief campaign in Caria from 227 to 225 BC.

However, recent discoveries of hoards and the identification of identical monograms on the Pan/Athena-tetradrachms of Antigonos II have prompted a new interpretation. According to this view, the emission was initiated by Antigonos II following his victory in the naval Battle of Andros in 246/5 BC. The coinage series then continued alongside the Pan series and was also minted by his successors, Demetrios II and Antigonos III Doson, both of whom have no other known coinage.