Philip II of Macedon Gold Stater Coin Ring | Ancient 24k Greek Coin | Antique 22k Gold Setting | Petra Star

A Coin That Paid for an Empire — Now Worn on Your Hand

Few objects in the antique jewelry world carry the historical gravity of a genuine ancient coin — and fewer still carry the weight of this one. This bold statement ring centers a 24k gold Philip II stater, struck between 359 and 336 BC in the kingdom of ancient Macedonia, during the reign of the man who would forge the most powerful military force the ancient world had yet seen — and father Alexander the Great.

Philip II minted these staters in significant quantities for a specific, pragmatic purpose: to pay his Celtic mercenary armies. These soldiers, drawn from across the ancient world, demanded payment in gold they could trust. The stater — bearing the serene, laurel-crowned head of Apollo on the obverse and the god Zeus driving his victorious biga (two-horse chariot) on the reverse, with ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ ("Philip") inscribed in Greek letters — became the currency of conquest. What you hold is not a reproduction or a tribute. It is a direct artifact of that moment in history.

The coin measures 18.5 x 17.5 mm, with the kind of crisp relief detail — Apollo's flowing hair, Zeus's outstretched form, the horses mid-stride — that speaks to the sophisticated Macedonian die-cutters who produced it. Age-related wear is present and expected on a coin nearly 2,400 years old; it only deepens the authenticity.

The stater has been housed in a 22k yellow gold mounting, dated to approximately the late 19th to early 20th century — itself a significant antique. The setting is unapologetically bold: a substantial chunky bezel designed to protect the coin's edges while showcasing its face, paired with a tapered shank that transitions from a comfortable 1.7mm at the base to a commanding 5mm at the shoulders. The ring wears with authority. At 19.3 grams of gold, it has genuine heft and presence on the hand.

The mounting bears a Fish hallmark alongside 916 — the purity mark confirming 22k gold content. (The geographic origin of the mounting has not been definitively confirmed.) Both coin and setting show the appealing, honest patina of long life well-lived — surface abrasions consistent with age, and a secure, well-matched union of ancient and antique.

Ring size is 9.5, and the face measures a commanding 20 x 18.3 mm — bold enough to read across a room, refined enough to belong in a museum vitrine.

This piece is offered through the Petra Star Vintage Vault, our curated collection of antique, estate, and historically significant jewelry. It is suited for the serious collector, the history scholar, the numismatist who wants to wear their passion, or anyone who understands that the most extraordinary jewelry tells a story no designer can invent.

RING
Material: Antique 22k gold
Measurements: 20 x 18.3 mm (face); 1.7–5 mm (shank)
Weight: 19.3 grams
Ring Size: 9.5
Markings: Fish hallmark, 916 for 22k (origin of mounting not confirmed)
Condition Rating: 6 (surface abrasions, but images on coin crisp and mounting secure)
Period: 359–336 BC; mounting c. late 19th–early 20th century

COIN
Source: 24k gold Ancient Macedonian stater
Measurements: 18.5 x 17.5 mm