Dear Masters, I am planning to buy an alexander coin from a local seller.He told me he got a coin of about 11 gr.Am I wrong because I was thinking they could be 3-4 gr(a Drachm) and 16-17 gr(tetra drachm).Pleae enlighten me.Thanx in advance..
Yes, those weights are correct for certain types. Which type are you referring to? I've seen the Athena types as smaller tetradrachms, around 13g. Many of the larger bronzes come in around 11 to 12 grams. Is it a bronze?
Well, the silver denominations of Alexander III are dekadrachm (rare), tetradrachm, didrachm, drachm, fifth tetradrachm (rare denomination used in Babylon), hemidrachm, diobol, obol, thirtieth tetradrachm (rare denomination used in Babylon), hemiobol, and quarter obol (also called tetartemorion). The closest denomination to 11g would be the didrachm, but they're typically around 9g. Maybe it's a fat didrachm. The coinage of Alexander III is remarkably complex. It's possible that larger than typical didrachms exist as a variety of a particular mint, but it's not my field of expertise. Your question would be better answered at FORVM. They have a few Alexander III experts on the board.
I have bought the coin today.And It looks great(maybe too great for some people) I will weigh it and measure its diameter and tell you if it is magnetic or not including detailed photos in order for the masters like you to evaluate my coin.thank you sooo much John.Your help is greatly appreciated..
