Kings of Macedon. Philip II, 359-336 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 14.33 g, 2 h), attributed to Philip III, but possibly struck under Alexander III, Pella (?), c. 323/2-315. Laureate head of Zeus to right. Rev. ΦΙΛΙ - ΠΠΟΥ Nude jockey on horse prancing to left, holding long palm branch in his right hand; above, Macedonian shield. Le Rider 460 (-/R379, but with an unrecorded obverse die). SNG ANS 434. Very rare. An extraordinary and anomalous piece of superb style and great beauty. Extremely fine.
From the Molard Collection, Switzerland.
This is a very intriguing and important tetradrachm, which is struck under the name of Philip II. When Hyla Troxell described SNG ANS 8, II, 434, she pointed out that Newell had long ago removed the ANS coin of this type from the Macedonian issues of Philip II, and placed it with coins of Alexander from uncertain Greek mints. He presumably did this because of the way the king's name is arranged (vertically to the right, and split by the horse's foreleg), and because of the style of Zeus's head. It is also somewhat reminiscent of Alexander's early Zeus/Eagle coinage (Price 142).