MACEDON. Amphipolis. Circa 355-353 BC. Chalkous (Bronze, 11.5 mm, 1.08 g, 6 h), struck under Philip II. Diademed head of Apollo to right. Rev. AMΦI Lighted race torch. HGC 3, 430. SNG ANS 88-93. With a most appealing glossy dark green patina and impressive details for type and denomination. Extremely fine.

Greek bronze coins are remarkably hard to find in really good condition. This is certainly true because bronze coins primarily circulated by size (i.e., their diameter told their user what their denomination was) rather than by their intrinsic metal value. Thus, these coins could circulate as long as their size made them acceptable: exceedingly worn bronze coins are found in excavations in contexts proving that they still were in use at the time of their loss, many years after they were originally struck.