Philip III Arrhidaios AR Tetradrachm | With an Extremely Rare 'Bee on Rose' Symbol

KINGS of MACEDON. Philip III Arrhidaios. 323-317 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26 mm, 16.99 g, 10 h). Early posthumous issue, struck 323-318/7 BC.

Obverse: Head of Herakles to the right, wearing the skin of the Nemean Lion.

Reverse: AΛEΞANΔΡOΥ Zeus Aëtophoros seated to left on throne, holding an eagle in his extended right hand and long scepter in his left; in the left field, a rose surmounted by a bee facing right.

Mint: Pella.

Provenance: Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 231940, Lot 61016.

Notes: Extremely rare and interesting symbol.

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The King is Dead, Long Live the King

After the death of Alexander the Great, the world trembled. In the heart of that uncertain storm, destiny fell to Arrhidaios, the conqueror’s half-brother. He was crowned as Philip III, the new king of the sprawling Macedonian Empire… but in truth he was little more than a pawn in an unforgiving game of thrones. This coin, minted in the wake of Alexander’s sudden passing, bears the weight of an empire in mourning. It’s more than a piece of metal—it’s a relic of a world searching for direction after the sun had set.

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An Extremely Rare Issue

This particular coin was minted in the old Macedonian capital of Pella shortly after Alexander’s untimely demise. This type, with its depiction of a bee alighting on a rose on the reverse, is of exceptional rarity. Moreover, the reverse of this coin is unusually well-struck (the reverses of this type are typically double-struck).

Referenz : Price 206b; Moore 23-43.

Sammlung : Virgo Ancients