Phillip II of Macedon , gold stater. Unusualy handsome portrait of Apollo.
This Gold Stater was stuck during the reign
of Philip II. On the obverse is the head of Apollo with a laurel wreath running through the curls of his hair, and in this coin a particularly vibrant youthful and attractive portrait . (They are not always this handsome!) On the reverse is
a charioteer driving a galloping biga, holding the reins in left hand. Mint mark below. .Inscription 'Of Philip' in exergue, This coin was struck around 340-328 B.C.
If you are looking to acquire an example of this iconic gold coin of the father of Alexander The Great you will know that there are many different issues and that many busts of Apollo are not all that attractive. I acquired this lovely coin in 1961 fro B A Seaby Ltd when they were still in their premises at 65 Great Portland Street, London. I chose this particular example because it is much more handsome than so many one might find.
I must draw your attention to a slight tiny blemish on this otherwise very beautiful coin. Near the hooves of the horses is a tiny drop of modern gold. This happened when this lovely coin was put into a gold brooch mount a very long time ago.
Philippeio , later called Alexanders were the gold coins used in the ancient Greek Kingdom of Macedonia. First issued at some point between 355 and 347 BC, the coins featured a portrait of the Greek deity Apollo on the obverse, and on the reverse, an illustration of a biga, a Greek chariot drawn by two horses. They had the value of one gold stater each. In the first issuing, Apollo was depicted with long hair, but after that the design was altered permanently to one in which Apollo's hair was shorter.
The coins were intended primarily for large purchases outside of Macedonia.] As a result, they spread quickly, first to the Balkans and continental Greece, and eventually throughout the Western world of the time; stashes of philippeioi have been uncovered in Italy, Constantinople, Southern Russia, Cyprus, Syria, and Egypt. The vast majority of these were actually struck by Philip's successor, his son, Alexander the Great.
Philip's famous staters continued to be struck long after his death. Northern European Celts imitated the work of his coins for hundreds of years later. In this way Philip II’s beautiful coins were remembered throughout history. In fact, in addition to the high purity of gold the artwork would be world renown for centuries.
