This gold stater of king Pyrrus I of Epeiros is one of the most emblematic and rare coins of the Hellenistic period. It was minted in Syracuse around 278 BC. The obverse depicts the head of the goddess Athena, while the reverse shows a full-figured Victory moving towards the left holding a trophy. The coin is a perfect reflection of its era and minting conditions, and combines three different elements into a diptych of triumphant iconography: Athena, who also decorated the staters of Alexander the Great, recalls the glorious past; Victory and her trophy represents Pyrrus' recent victories against the Romans in Italy; and finally the oak wreath - the oak being Zeus' sacred tree at Dodoni - symbolizes Epirus, the king's home land.