Alexander's gold staters were struck at Amphipolis in enormous quantities to fund the Persian campaign — the city's mint, inherited from the Athenian-controlled territory seized by Philip II in 357 BC, became the primary production center for Alexander's gold coinage. Price 172 falls within the main emission series, characterized by specific control marks that allow die studies to map the staggering output required to pay tens of thousands of Macedonian and mercenary troops across Asia.
Much of the bullion feeding these strikes came directly from the Persian royal treasuries at Persepolis and Susa, looted in 330 BC — the chronological anchor for this emission's lower bound.
Alexander's gold staters were struck at Amphipolis in enormous quantities to fund the Persian campaign — the city's mint, inherited from the Athenian-controlled territory seized by Philip II in 357 BC, became the primary production center for Alexander's gold coinage. Price 172 falls within the main emission series, characterized by specific control marks that allow die studies to map the staggering output required to pay tens of thousands of Macedonian and mercenary troops across Asia.
Much of the bullion feeding these strikes came directly from the Persian royal treasuries at Persepolis and Susa, looted in 330 BC — the chronological anchor for this emission's lower bound.