Alexander tetradrachm (only one)

I found it curious to be recently lamenting, to a friend, about my US coin stash that I haven't looked at in over a year and how back then I could have read a biography of Lincoln or Eisenhower and finding no desire to track down a nice Lincoln cent or Eisenhower dollar but when reading about ancient civilizations and personalities I'm inspired to seek out their coins to hold history in my hands.

Recently, I delved in to Alexander the Great by Paul Cartledge and soon found myself on the hunt for an Alexander Tetradrachm.

Here is the one I purchased:


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander III (the Great), 336 - 323 BC. AR Tetradrachm.
Amphipolis Mint, early posthumous issue, Struck c. 323-320 BC.
Obv: Head of Alexander right in the guise of Herakles wearing lion-skin headdress.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ AΛEΞANΔPOY; Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre; Macedonian helmet in left field.
25 mm, 16.88g. Toned aXF
Cf. Price 113
Ex. Stacks, June 14 1993; Lot 62
Ex. Pegasi Numismatics

I also picked up a Drachm:


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander III (the Great), 336 - 323 BC. AR drachm.
Abydos mint., Struck c. 310-297 BC.
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin headdress.
Rev: AΛEΞANΔPOY; Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre.
18 mm, 4.16 g. VF+
Cf. Price 1584; SNG Cop 958.
Ex. Pegasi Numismatics

and previously all I had was this bronze:


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander III (the Great), 336 - 323 BC. Æ half unit.
Uncertain mint in Western Asia Minor, Struck c. 325-310 BC.
Obv: Macedonian shield, facing head of Herakles on boss.
Rev: Macedonian helmet, B-A across lower fields.
16mm, 4.49g, 7h. aXF, Pleasant desert patina.
Cf. Price 2802; SNG Alpha Bank 849 (no corn ear).
Ex. ROMA-Numismatics-eSale27-Lot142 (unsold)
Ex. @arnoldoe

I'm quite pleased with this little Alexander collection, but will most likely seek out a lifetime Tet at some point. My apologies for the first two pictures which are mine and which are horrendous, complements to Roma Numismatics for the third.

I'd love to see any and all Alexander coins so please post.

 

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Wow, fantastic coins.

I only have a posthumous yet

 

Excellent pickups @dadams. That is an excellent tetradrachm!

 

Very nice coins @dadams , my favourite is your new tetradrachm.

Here is my lifetime issue.




Kings of Macedon, Alexander III ‘the Great' (336-323 BC). AR Tetradrachm
(26mm, 17.00g, 9h). Amphipolis, c. 332-326 BC.
Obv: Head of Herakles r., wearing lion skin.
Rev: Zeus Aëtophoros seated l.; janiform head in l. field.
Price 6; Troxell, Studies, Issue A3. Some roughness, VF
Saint Paul Antiques Auction 2 Lot 10, March 18, 2017.

 

Super coins!

Here's a lifetime issue. This coin has fantastic high relief on the obverse - I'll have to take some better pics tomorrow...



KINGS OF MACEDON
Alexander III “The Great” 336-323 BC
AR Tetradrachm, 28mm, 17.1g, 6h; Babylon mint, lifetime issue, 325-323 BC
Obv.: Head of Herackles right, wearing lion skin.
Rev.: Zeus Aetophoros seated left; in left field astragalos, above M; monogram below throne.
Reference: Price 3611.

 

Your new tet is absolutely lovely!!

 

Congrats Dadams , beautifull Tet ,nice picture too. Like the drachm too although it looks, its made of gold.

2 lifetime Alexander tets:

 

That is the very first step which started me down the path towards ancient coin collecting. There is nothing quite like it in the other branches of numismatics.

BTW, fabulous coins!

 

That's a beauty! I find the deep tone on it very attractive.

Here's one I haven't shown in awhile that's not even close to 'Lifetime'.


THRACE, Mesembria
AR Tetradrachm. 16.65g, 32.8mm. THRACE, Mesembria, circa 281-216 BC. In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Price 1026. O: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin. R: AΛEΞAN∆POY / BAΣIΛEΩΣ, Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; crested Corinthian helmet right in left field, OINIA below throne.

 

Nice!

 

Ditto

 

Incredible posts!! Wonderful examples of the 'type'!!!

My best is the lifetime Tet I posted recently.

Macedonian Kingdom. Alexander III 'the Great'. 336-323 B.C. AR tetradrachm (25 mm, 17.16 g, 1 h). Tarsos, lifetime issue, ca 333-327 B.C. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and scepter; below throne, B. Price 3000. Area of slight roughness above head of Herakles. Nicely toned. Extremely fine.

 

Beautifull lifetime Tet , Mikey.

Here's a postumous struck under Demetrios:



and one minted under Seleukos I Nicator, who put his own name on the reverse instead of Alexander's ,and I'll guess he also has his own portrait on the obverse instead of the portrait of Alexander-Hercules.

 

I recently got this Alexander AE:



17 mm. 4.31 grams.
Head of young Herakles right
bow and case above
ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΟΥ
above club, K below
Price 301, plate CXLVI "c. 336- c.323 BC"

 

WOW! Thanks for all the great coins and kind comments. I was almost equally as excited to have been able to track down the Stacks catalogue and prices realized sheet via Bryce Brown.


Thanks again for posting all the wonderful coins!

-d

 

I currently own two ATG Tetradrachms, this lifetime issue from Babylon:


And this posthumous issue:

 

BTW @dadams love that Tet, is this the one we talked about?

 

Great coins everyone, here is one of a few:

 

Indeed here it is.

Edited to add: when might @Aethelred break the news?