A beautiful ancient Greek gold stater of the half brother of King Alexander the Great, King Philip III Arrhidaeus, struck circa 323-317 B.C. Abydos Mint.

The obverse depicts the portrait of the goddess of wisdom and warfare, Athena. She is shown facing right with her hair flowing out from under a plumed Corinthian helmet, adorned with a coiled snake, her lips slightly parted. 

The reverse shows a standing figure of the goddess of Victory, Nike her beautiful wings spread wide and holding a laurel wreath in her outstretched right hand and stylis (cross arm of a ship's mast) in her left. The legend reading: ΦΙΛΙΠΠοΥ - "Of Philip"

Snake and monogram in fields.

The symbol of victory (laurel wreath) in Nike's right hand, joined with the ships stylis in her left suggests a reference to Greece's great and famous naval victory over Persia in the battle of Salamis in 480 B.C. Many historians believe that a Persian victory would have changed the course of Western civilization. It is, therefore, considered one of the most significant battles in human history.

Diameter: 17.5 mm. Weight: 8.50 g.

An extremely fine example, well struck and centered and of good style

Provenance: Ex. UK Private collection. artancientltd