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M.G. Abramzon (Magnitogorsk), A.V. Kulikov (Kerch) – A Hoard of Alexander-Type Gold Staters from Eastern Crimea

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Abstract

The article discusses a portion of a hoard of gold staters, minted in the name of Alexander III, presumably found in the vicinity of the village of Zolote, Leninsky District, Crimea, in 2010. The hoard incorporated over 30 staters, of which 7 became available for study. These are issues from the mints of Macedonia (Amphipolis), an uncertain Black Sea mint, Magnesia-on-Meander, Miletus, Sardes, and Tarsus. The hoard's latest coin, the uncertain Black Sea mint's issue Price 1313, c. 250–200 BC, provides a terminus post quem for the concealment. The hoard illustrates the development of currency approximately 75–100 years after the death of Alexander III the Great, showing that the lifetime and posthumous issues in his name continue to play a significant part in the gold coinage in circulation. Following the Myrmecium 2022 Hoard of Macedonian gold, concealed half a century earlier, the published complex serves as new rare evidence of international trade operations of the Hellenistic period involving the Bosporan elite.

Keywords

Bosporan Kingdom, Eastern Crimea, Greek coin hoards, Alexander III the Great, Alexander-type gold staters, monetary circulation.

Mikhail G. Abramzon – Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aleksey V. Kulikov – Institute of Archaeology of Crimea of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Simferopol, Russia, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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