An Alexander III tetradrachm, Susa Mint - a lifetime or posthumous issue?

While going through a box of ancients last night, I came across an old purchase. This is a tetradrachm of Alexander III that I believe is from Susa, a city whose roots go back to ancient Sumer. The label that accompanies the coin is very generic, basically just noting that this coin is a tetradrachm of Alexander III, no other information. I think this coin came from a local coin dealer who had virtually no background with ancient coins, only US coins.

This is the best Alexander III tetradrachm that I own. It has been stored in a poly-liner bag for nearly three decades, so there is no toning to speak of.

I am not sure if this is a lifetime or an early posthumous coin. I really have only a basic knowledge of Alexander III's coinage, given the breath and scope of coinage issued in his name. Are there CT members who can shed any light on this coin?

I finished two of Mary Renault's historical novels on Alexander III, and Susa plays a pivotal role. One notable event at Susa, near the end of Alexander III's reign was the mass marriage between officers of his Macedonian force and Persian women of noble birth in 324 BC.

Alexander III also married a Persian princess, Stateira, daughter of Darius III, during this event, much to the disproval of Roxanne, his other wife. In Renault's novel, Funeral Games, Starteria is lured to Babylon with a forged letter by Roxane shortly after Alexander III died. Following her arrival, Stateira, who was pregnant with a potential heir, and her sister were poisoned by Roxane. Such were the lethal machinations of the ancient courts, through Roman times and beyond.

Macedonian Kings Circa 323 BC
AR tetradrachm
Alexander III
Susa Mint
Obverse: Portrait of Alexander III, facing right, wearing lion headdress.
Reverse: Zeus, seated on throne, facing left, holding an eagle in right hand and staff in left hand, wreath in left field, below throne, symbols ΔI.
Price #?
EF

24.5 mm, 12 h.
17.2 grams



Please post your Macedonian coins or anything else you wish.

Thank you

Postscript:

As noted in a subsequent post, this coin is from Cilicia, possibly Side, not Susa and it is an early posthumous issue.

The Price catalog number is 2949

 

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That is a very high quality Alexander tetradrachm, @robinjojo.

Is Zeus wearing sandals in the reverse?

 

Alexander's Ragtime Band

 

They do look like sandals (Birkenstock?), or part of the footrest?

 

It could be Price 2949 like this one
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4970941

 

Reading your first sentence "While going through a box of ancients last night, I came across an old purchase." I was anticipating to see a 5$ coin you picked from a basket are you sure you're not bidder handle Clio?

 

That is a great example, wow!
As far as I know the title of ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ was not used on life time issues of Alexander, eventhough the legs of Zeus are not crossed.

I agree with @pprp It looks like it is Price 2949: http://numismatics.org/pella/id/price.2949
Mint is in Side (or atleast an Cilician mint) and posthumous.

Here two of the last tetradrachms struck in the name of Alexander:

Alexander III. "the Great". AR Tetradrachm. Civic issue, Odessos mint (80-72/1 B.C.). Struck in the time of Mithridates VI.
Obverse: Head of Herakles wearing lion's skin right, with the features of Mithradates VI.
Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; ΛΑΚΩ above knee, ΟΔΗ in exergue.
Reference: Callataÿ Group 3; Topalov, Odesos 80; Price 1193; HGC 3, 1589.
16.12g; 29mm


Alexander III. "the Great". AR Tetradrachm. Civic issue, Mesembria mint (100-72/1 B.C.). Struck in the time of Mithridates VI.
Obverse: Head of Herakles wearing lion's skin right, with the features of Mithradates VI.
Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ / MEΣAM, Zeus seated left, holding spear and eagle; to left, ΔIO.
Reference: Price 1128; Karayotov I 316; HGC 3, 1570.
16.10g; 33mm

 

Thank you.

I will make a note on the label.

 

No, just an old fogey who, over the past several decades has been drifting through the numismatic either, sort of attracting coins the way planets were built all those billions of year ago, gaining mass, if nothing else.

 

Hi JoJo,
He's wearing 'Lifts', as everyone knows Zeus was only 5'2"!
J.T.

 

BTW I also have only one example and it's not lifetime either... Maybe one day I get the Memphis one with the rose.

 

That's a beautiful coin.

Yes, I see a distinct difference in portrait style, lifetime versus posthumous.

What mint is this coin from?

Thanks

 

No no it's not lifetime! It's Kassander and struck in Pella

 

My mistake. I guess I need new glasses.

 

Hot off the presses, here's a photo of a tetradrachm of Phillip III, purchased from CNG many years ago.

Macedonian Kings Circa 323-317 BC
AR tetradrachm
Phillip III
Babylon Mint
Obverse: Portrait of Alexander III, facing right, wearing lion headdress.
Reverse: Zeus, seated on throne, facing left, holding an eagle in right hand and staff in left hand, Helios in left field, below throne, symbols KY.
Price P205
Near EF

25 mm, 3 h.
17.2 grams

 

Here is a lifetime Alexander tetradrachm in my collection.
I like the obverse portrait.


Alexander III. 336-323 BC.
AR Tetradrachm; 17.22g, 26mm.
Amphipolis Mint. Lifetime Issue, struck circa 332-326 BC.
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin
Rev: ALEXANDROU, Zeus seated left; amphora in left field.
Price 13; Troxell, Studies, group B2.

 

And here's mine!....J.T.

 

Same coin as the robinjojo OP coin:

 

Thank you all for posting some really nice coins.

Here's one more addition, from a Roma auction.

Kingdom of Macedon circa 325-323/2 BC
AR Tetradrachm
Alexander III 'the Great'
Struck under Antipater, Amphipolis
Obverse: Alexander as Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress
Reverse: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, holding sceptre; AΛEΞANΔPOY to right, Athena Promachos standing right in left field.
Price 105; Troxell, Studies, Issue F4.
17.23g, 26mm, 12h.

Very Fine; old collection tone.

I must say Alexander certainly has a weary expression. "Oh man! I conquer most of the know world, and now you want me to do whaaaa?"

 

Agree. This one surely looks weary, or just tired after taking over so much land. Maybe we can date this coin to "late lifetime"?