A very nice posthumous example of  Philip II’s gold coinage, this coin can actually boast two major provenances, namely the  Gustav Philipsen (1853-1925) and Virgil Brand (1879–1926) collections.

A Danish-Jewish businessman and politician from Copenhagen, in his private life Gustav Philipsen of Copenhagen was a prolific numismatist who focused mainly on Greek coinage. However, he is more widely known as the co-owner of the publishing house PG Philipsen and manager of Nordisk Forlag in 1892 and as a force for stability in the Danish labor market. While the majority of his collection was sold in Munich by Jacob Hirsch in 1909, he actually continued in the hobby becoming a member of the Royan Numismatic Society in 1920!

Later sold by Sotheby’s in 1983, this coin actually sat in Virgil Brand’s collection for years after his death in  1926. In fact, the dispersal of Brand's collection became one of numismatics' longest-running sagas. Brand did not leave a will, and upon his death the collection was inherited by his brothers Horace and Armon, leading to tensions that had to be resolved in probate court in 1937. The brothers began selling pieces during the 1930s, and some coins were later inherited by Armin's daughter Jane Brand Allen. Finally, major auctions of Brand material were conducted by Sotheby's starting in 1982, followed by Bowers & Merena sales in 1983-1985, with additional sales by Heritage and other auction houses continuing into the 21st century. Even as late as 2016, previously unknown crates of Brand material containing medals and tokens were discovered and brought to market!