MACEDON, (Roman Protectorate), Republican period. First Meris. Circa 167-149 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 32mm, 16.79 g 9), Amphipolis. Diademed and draped bust of Artemis to right, bow and quiver over her shoulder; all at the center of a Macedonian shield ornamented with stars within crescents. Rev. MAKEΔONΩN / ΠΡΩTHΣ Club with head to right between two lines of inscription; above, monogram of AΡ; around, oak wreath with ties to left; to left of the ties, thunderbolt. AMNG III 160-1. SNG Copenhagen 1310-1. A particularly nice example, lightly toned and sharply struck from fresh dies. Tiny scuff on eyebrow, otherwise, virtually as struck.

From a Swiss collection.

Amphipolis, capital of the First District of Macedonia after the Roman conquest in 167, issued an enormous quantity of Artemis/Club tetradrachms. They were designed not only to re-coin all the remaining royal issues of the defeated Macedonian kingdom, but also to help finance Roman requirements. This is an unusually attractive example, far different from the ordinary over-cleaned and badly struck pieces usually found from the recent finds of the past few decades.