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Kings of Macedon. Alexander III, the Great, 336-3

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
Kings of Macedon. Alexander III, the Great, 336-3
<Our item number 115677><B>Kings of Macedon. Alexander III, the Great, 336-323 BC. Gold Distater &#40;17.27 g&#41;, Aegeae mint, struck c. 336-323 BC.</B> Head of Athena right, wearing triple-crested Corinthian helmet, adorned with coiled serpent. <I>Reverse</I>: Nike standing left, holding wreath in extended hand, <I>stylis</I> in other; vertical thunderbolt at left, monogram below. Price 191. A superb example, with choice centering, beautifully struck in high relief, with a delicate touch of red toning -- mostly on the reverse. <B>NGC graded Choice About Uncirculated.</B> <BR><BR>Continuing to utilize the wealth of Macedon&#39;s mines, which Alexander&#39;s father, Phillip II, had employed to finance his own and Macedon&#39;s imperialism, Alexander set himself up as conqueror and empire builder. In the process, his massive minting of coin would in essence create a new world class currency, in the manner of today&#39;s dollar, or like that once held by the silver &#34;owls&#34; from the time of Athens&#39; imperial ascendancy. In adopting the Attic weight standard, Alexander&#39;s coinage would easily fit into a scheme that had already been established, and thus cause no new disruptions to trade. In addition, Alexander&#39;s insistence on the obvious and easy 10:1 ratio of exchange between silver and gold made for a system that was recognized and utilized even in cities that adhered to their traditional minting standards. The ease of use and rationality of Alexander&#39;s coining standards quickly came to serve as the basis for financial systems throughout much of the Greek world, not only in Alexander&#39;s time, but for a number of centuries afterwards. <BR>Estimated Value &#36;10,000 - 12,000. <BR><BR>Our item number 115677<BR><IMAGES><P ALIGN="CENTER"><IMG SRC="http://www.goldbergcoins.net/liveauction/47jpegs/115677.jpg"> <BR><IMG SRC="http://www.goldbergcoins.net/liveauction/47jpegs/115677N2.jpg"> </P></IMAGES>