Alexander & Darius

Whow !... This countermark may be an unicum. I've never seen this, too.

 

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My latest acquisition. A tetradrachm in the name and types of Alexander III minted for Kassander at Uranopolis. 300-290 BCE posthumous issue.





Star on cone in left field, Theta above the strut of the chair, Pi beneath the strut.

 

Wonderful acquisition, @Denis Richard!

That example has an attractive "character" about it. And the portrait is quite expressive! (Not to mention that your photography makes it look like I could reach out to my laptop's screen and touch the coin.)

Literally every time I see that "cone on star" which is found on multiple types of tetradrachms, I wonder if it could have been intended to depict a lighthouse. The coin's attribution date makes it just a little too early to be the famous, ancient lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the seven ancient wonders). But still . . . to me . . . it is easier on my imagination to see it as a lighthouse shining its light brightly, than to see it as a generic "cone" with a star somewhat strangely situated atop.

 

A lighthouse? I never thought of that. I like it. I agree there must be a deeper meaning for it than just a star on a cone. Unless it was a comet? I wonder if any such astronomical event happened then? Something to look into..