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Question about replica coin
ReneR
Posts: 12 ✭
My wife bought this as a souvenir while visiting an Etruscan archaeological site in Italy a couple of weeks ago. It's obviously a modern cast replica, but my question is if it is a copy of an original design, or a complete fantasy. If it does reference an original design, any clue as to the meaning of the presumed god on the obverse or chariot on the reverse? Thanks.!
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It's fantazy on stater Philipp II, father Alexander Great.
Thank you!
To more precisely answer the question: the obverse shows the Greek god Apollo, and the reverse shows a charioteer in a two-horse chariot.
The original gold coin commemorated an Olympic games win: in 348 BC, king Philip II himself won the two-horse chariot race at the Olympic Games. Whether the charioteer depicted on the coins is intended to be Philip himself, or a generic chariot-racer, is up for debate, as Greek coinage tradition at the time was that living people should not be commemorated on coins.
Nevertheless, the design proved quite popular and continued to be used on Macedonian gold coins long after Philip's death.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded the DPOTD twice.
I appreciate the additional detail.