The Most Beautiful: Hellenistic Royal Coins. Selected by Peter van Alfen

ANS-Chief Curator Peter van Alfen presents his choice for the 10 most beautiful Hellenistic Royal Coins:

Over the last couple of years, as we have been building our online resource, Hellenistic Royal Coinages (HRC) I’ve had the pleasure of spending more time with the ANS’s vast collection of Hellenistic coinage, much of which was assembled in the early 20th century by Edward T. Newell. After Newell died in 1941, his collection came to the ANS in two bequests, one in his name in 1944, and another in his wife Adra’s name in 1967. Here is a selection of some of my favorites from HRC, mostly Newell’s coins. The design elements and detail on these coins I find really quite arresting, which no doubt shows that these kings, Philip II, Alexander III, Seleucus I, and Ptolemy I-IV, as well as some civic mints, knew the value of finding the best artists to create their coinage!

09Gold mnaieon of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, 254-252 BCE. ANS 1967.152.624, bequest of Adra Newell.

08Gold trichryson of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (depicting his father Ptolemy I Soter), 282 BCE. ANS 1967.152.625, bequest of Adra Newell.

07Gold stater of Ptolemy I Soter, 299-295 BCE. ANS 1997.9.69, gift of John Legett.

06Silver tetradrachm of Ptolemy I Soter, 307-306 BCE. ANS 1974.26.5291, purchase, ex Metropolitan Museum.

05Silver tetradrachm of Seleucus I Nicator, Pergamum, 281 BCE. ANS 1967.152.675, bequest of Adra Newell.

04Silver tetradrachm of Alabanda in the name of Alexander III the Great with countermark on obverse, ca. 188-173 BCE. ANS 1947.98.207.

03Silver tetradrachm of Alexander III the Great, Pella, with Heracles on the obverse to left, 325-315 BCE. ANS 1944.100.29335, bequest of Edward T. Newell.

02Silver tetradrachm of Alexander III the Great, Pella, with Heracles on the obverse to left, 325-315 BCE. ANS 1944.100.29335, bequest of Edward T. Newell.

01Gold stater of Philip II, Pella, 345-336 BCE. ANS 1944.100.12021, bequest of Edward T. Newell.

10Gold mnaieon of Ptolemy IV Philopator, depicting Ptolemy III Euergetes on the obverse, 219-217 BCE. ANS 1974.26.3995, purchase, ex Metropolitan Museum.

Make sure to check out the ANS project HRC – Hellenistic Royal Coinage.

We presented Peter van Alfen in our Numismatic Who’s Who.

The homepage of the American Numismatic Society is always worth a visit.

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