Age of Hellenism - Ancient World Collection

The Hellenistic Age: Ten Pieces from an Era

When Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC, he left behind an empire that stretched from Macedonia to the Indus. He also left behind a culture that would long outlive that empire. The Ancient World Collection "Age of Hellenism" brings this era into your hands. It includes three genuine originals from Greek antiquity in silver, as well as six gold coins and one gold minted bar, depicting the wonders of the world and the gods of that time in the purest fine gold. Hand-struck currency thus sits alongside coins struck in Proof, the highest minting quality.

In total, the collection contains 1.12 g of fine gold (7 × 1/200 ounce) and three historic silver coins. These coins were once genuinely in circulation, passing through the hands of mercenaries, merchants and craftsmen.

What "Hellenism" Actually Means

The term was coined by historian Johann Gustav Droysen in the 19th century. It denotes the roughly three centuries between Alexander's death and the end of Ptolemaic Egypt in 30 BC. During this period, the Greek language, art and Greek currency spread across the entire eastern Mediterranean and far into Asia. The famous list of the Seven Wonders of the World also originated in this era.

Three Ancient Originals in Silver

Collectors seeking ancient silver coins value pieces with provenance and history. This collection contains three of them, each a hand-struck one-of-a-kind:

• Ancient Silver Drachm Alexander the Great (356–323 BC): approx. 4 g in weight, approx. 18 mm in diameter. The obverse shows Herakles wearing the lion's skin, often with Alexander's own facial features. On the reverse, Zeus is enthroned with an eagle and sceptre. In the Greek world, the drachm was the common silver denomination.
• Silver Tetradrachm Antiochus I Soter (280–261 BC): approx. 17 g in weight, approx. 26 mm in diameter, struck according to the Attic standard. Antiochus was the son of Seleucus I, a general of Alexander. The obverse shows him wearing a diadem in a realistic royal portrait, the reverse depicts Apollo seated on the Omphalos of Delphi. The king received his epithet "Soter" ("Saviour") after his victory over the Galatians in the so-called Battle of the Elephants.
• Silver Diobol Ionian Griffin of Teos (300–200 BC): around 1 g in weight and only about 9 mm in diameter. The obverse features the griffin, the heraldic animal of the Ionian port city of Teos. The reverse shows a lyre (chelys). The diobol was small change for the market, making it especially close to people's everyday lives.

With the drachm, tetradrachm and diobol, you own three denominations of the Greek coinage system. The range spans from the large trade coin to the tiny piece used for daily shopping.

A Word on Condition

The historical coins are currency that was once in circulation. Patina, centring, nicks, wear and the legibility of the legends therefore vary from piece to piece, and this is precisely what makes genuine ancient originals so appealing. Detailed information on condition can be found on the respective individual product pages. Mint, year of issue and reverse variant may vary. The image therefore shows only an example, and the delivered specimen will differ in appearance and condition.

Wonders of the World and Gods in Fine Gold

Kettner Edelmetalle had the seven gold pieces produced in Germany. They are issued for the Republic of Liberia with a face value of 25 dollars each. Each piece contains 0.16 g of gold with a fineness of 999.9/1,000 and is struck in Proof with year of issue 2026:

1. Colossus of Rhodes, mintage 2,000: The bronze statue of the sun god Helios was created in the Hellenistic period at the harbour entrance of Rhodes.
2. Lighthouse of Alexandria, mintage 2,000: The Ptolemies had it built in the city that Alexander himself had founded.
3. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, mintage 2,000: All mausoleums to this day are named after this tomb of Mausolus.
4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, mintage 2,000: According to tradition, it burned down in 356 BC, on the night Alexander was born.
5. Statue of Zeus at Olympia, mintage 2,000: the masterpiece of Phidias, made of gold and ivory.
6. Aphrodite, mintage 5,000: the goddess of love with a rose wreath and golden apple.
7. Minted bar Gods of Olympus – Poseidon, mintage 5,000: the ruler of the seas with his trident. This piece has a bar shape, but thanks to its face value, it is an official coin.

The five Wonders of the World coins have a diameter of 14 mm. Their reverse depicts all seven Wonders of the Ancient World in medallions surrounding Liberia's coat of arms. The Proof finish creates mirrored fields and frosted reliefs, so that the details stand out sharply even in this small format.

Why a Collection?

Each piece is special in its own right. But as a set, the ten pieces tell a coherent story. It begins with Alexander, followed by his Seleucid heir and an Ionian city during the time of the Wars of the Diadochi. Added to this are the structures that were admired in this world. The World of the Celts Collection follows a similar concept. Here, however, the ancient originals stand alongside modern fine gold.

Anyone seeking as much gold as possible in a single piece is better served by larger denominations. The strengths of this collection lie elsewhere: in its variety, its low mintages, and its combination of numismatics and precious metal.

Gold is humanity's oldest currency and has outlived all others. The silver coins in this collection show just how enduring precious metal is: they were already money when Rome was not yet a world power.

A Tangible Asset with History

Gold and silver have an intrinsic value that does not depend on trust in any institution. For millennia, both metals have served as stores of value and are still valued today for wealth preservation, inflation hedging and crisis protection. The collection fits just as well into a collection of Greek coins as into an existing precious metals portfolio. It also makes a wonderful gift for anyone passionate about history. Shipping is carried out as insured value shipping.

The Collection at a Glance

• Contents: 6 gold coins, 1 gold minted bar, 3 ancient silver coins
• Total fine gold weight: 1.12 g (7 × 1/200 oz, 0.16 g each, fineness 999.9)
• Silver: tetradrachm approx. 17 g, drachm approx. 4 g, diobol approx. 1 g
• Gold: year of issue 2026, Proof, face value 25 dollars each (Liberia)
• Silver condition: ancient circulated coinage, individually varying (details on the individual product pages)
• Condition: new goods