ADVENT NIKE COIN
Gold stater coin of Alexander the Great
On the front (obverse) of this gold coin of Alexander the Great is the head of Athena, goddess of wisdom, craft, and war, wearing a crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a coiled snake.
On the reverse of the coin, struck around 330–320 BCE, stands Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. In her outstretched right hand she holds a wreath, and in her left hand she holds a ship's standard, likely symbolising a naval victory.
Alexander became ruler of Macedonia in 336 BCE after the murder of his father Philip II. His coinage became one of the first truly international currencies, with vast quantities of coins issued from many different mints. Many were produced after Alexander’s death and circulated across an extensive area stretching from Greece to Afghanistan.
Gold stater of Alexander the Great
(Alexander III of Macedon)
From the Amphipolis mint
c. 330–320 BCE
HCR9627
Not currently on display
