Kings of Macedon. Susa. Philip III Arrhidaeus 322-320 BC. Struck under Koinos, circa BC 322-320. In the name and types of Alexander III
Stater AV

18 mm, 8,60 g

Head of Athena to right, wearing triple-crested Corinthian helmet decorated with sphinx on the bowl / BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔPOY, Nike standing facing, head to left, holding wreath and stylis; ΛA under left wing, monogram under right.

extremely fine; lustrous. Extremely Rare; seemingly only three other examples on CoinArchives

Price 3844 var. (griffin on helmet); SNG Alpha Bank -; SNG München -; CNG Triton XX, 119 (same obv. die); Heritage 3030, 23725 (hammer: USD 22,000) = CNG 93, 161 (same obv. die); Gorny & Mosch 203, 137 (same obv. die).

Extremely Rare; seemingly only three other examples on CoinArchives.

Ex Roma Numismatics Auction XXX, lot 158 (5.000 GBP Hammer)

In 323 BCE, following the death of Alexander the Great, his half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus, was elevated to the throne of Macedonia. Though he lacked the leadership qualities of Alexander due to a mental disability, his reign became a symbol of the struggle for power between Alexander's generals. One artifact that captures this turbulent time is a gold stater struck in Susa, an ancient Persian city now under Macedonian control. The stater, minted around 323-317 BCE, bore an image of Athena on one side and Nike, the goddess of victory, on the other, both traditional symbols of power and divine favor in Macedonian coinage. Though Philip III was a figurehead, the stater was likely issued by one of the regents who truly held power, using his name to legitimize their rule. The gold coin circulated throughout the fragmented empire, representing a fragile peace. It became a silent witness to the ongoing Wars of the Diadochi, as generals fought to carve out their own realms. Philip III’s reign, though marked by his lack of influence, was immortalized in the coins that bore his name, symbolizing the fleeting unity of Alexander's once-mighty empire.