Lot 148
Macedon, Aigai, c. 485 BC. AR Stater (9.81 g). Goat kneeling right, looking back; above, dotted rosette. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square. Gulbenkian 390; ANS NNM 126, 2; AMNG III, pl. V, 24. Very rare; an outstanding example with a strong, charismatic quality. Choice Extremely Fine. Estimated Value $7,500 - UP
According to tradition, the Macedonian city of Aigai was founded by the three brothers Perdikkas, Gauanes, and Aeropos, who had been exiled from Argos. The oracle at Delphi had told hem to found a city on the spot where they discovered a herd of white nanny goats (Greek:aiges), which they did, and over the centuries the city grew large and prosperous, and served as the Argead royal capital. As a punning allusion to the city's name, the goat was chosen as it's principal type on its coinage, such as seen here with the superb rendition of the goat on the obverse of this coin, shown kneeling to the right with its head turned to look back over its shoulder. Recently, however, the attribution to Aigai has been questioned: the goat on the obverse is a billy goat (Greek: tragos), not a nanny goat, and thus is unsuitable as a canting allusion to Aigai. Different scholrs have suggested that these coins were struck undr Thraco-Macedonian tribal authority, perhaps by either the Bisaltaians, the Krestonians, or the Mygdonians.
Goldberg's Auction 59, lot 2061
The Peh Family Collection.
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| Realized $7,200 |
