I came across this really high grade drachm today at Sal's shop. It weighs 4.29 grams. I am considering purchasing it. Sal graciously let me take the coin home for photographing and posting on CT for members' opinions. Overall the coin is well struck and decently centered, but somewhat crude on the obverse. Is this a legit coin? Are there any know fakes of this coin? Are there any catalog references? Thanks
Beautiful coin, looks like a solid OK to me. Looks like this coin: https://cngcoins.com/Lot.aspx?LOT_I..._TYPE_ID=2&VIEW_TYPE=0&MAX_COUNT=10000&PAGE=1
..very low mileage...dang near mint i'd say..(or AU).. Alexander the Great drachms, 16,17mm., 4.03 & 3.76gms respectivley
The crudeness you speak of, which I love, is proof that this coin was struck and not a modern forgery. If you decide against the purchase let Sal know that I'm interested
I really like it @robinjojo . The die stretch marks makes it for me! Shows high mintage. Mine show high circulation... Makedon Alexander III 336-323 BC AR Drachm 3 Makedon Alexander III 336-323 BC AR Drachm 2 Makedon Alexander III AR Drachm 1 Makedon Alexander III AR Drachm
I personally would have no problem with that one! Perhaps the obverse die is a bit worn or just a die slip, I don't think it's crudely engraved. These Magnesia bees are my favorite countermarks on Alexander drachms. (Though my overall favorite are the well- executed Sardes with Zeus' knee pointing toward the viewer.) Someday I look forward to getting one of those to go with my Lysimachos Bee Drachm from Ephesos, which oddly has the smaller, more inconspicuous bee of the two types (beneath Nike):
The drachm shown by @robinjojo appears to be an example of Price 1936 a coin minted in Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Price gives a date of 323-319 BC. I would think it might be somewhat later. I see no obvious issues with the coin though I am reluctant to make a declaration of authenticity based on a photo. I like these drachms they are interesting and important. This is one of mine. (a very late issue) Kassander Ar Drachm In the names and types of Alexander III. Unknown mint in Greece? Obv. Head of beardless Herakles is lions skin headdress. Rv. Zeus Aetophoros seated left. In left field aplustre. 310-275 BC Price 862 4.26 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin is quite late in the series of drachms minted in the name and types of Alexander III. It is most likely from one of the Macedonian mints, though a Greek mint is possible.
Thank you all for your feedback. I need to get back to the dealer to see what price can be reached. I really do not collect these drachms in any systematic way. This coin happened to appear today, and I thought it would make a nice type coin. If the coin is still available after I talk to Sal, I'll let you all know.
robinjojo, I agree with the consensus that the coin looks good & isn't a fake, but you have to ask yourself would you be happy with this coin ? I like the bee symbol in the field but the front of Alexander's face is not clear, & that would annoy me every time I looked at the coin . If the coin is the right price buy it, if its priced at top retail pass on it . I'm not crazy about small coins, but when I saw this drachm 4 years ago I couldn't resist bidding on it & won it for $228.00. I didn't care about the price when I bought it & don't know what it would fetch at auction today. I ended up selling the coin to a cousin several weeks after I won it for exactly what I paid for it.
That's a beautiful drachm, Al. You're right about the OP coin. I've been buying coins from Sal, my local coin seller, since around 1980, so I'll see what can be negotiated. Here's one more coin that I did purchase yesterday, my first dupondius of Faustina II. It came with a fairly old collector's tag. I'm still trying to decipher what appears to be a signature at the bottom. Faustina II, 146-161 AD Orichalcum Dupondius Rome Obverse: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA; profile right. Reverse: [LA]ETITIA, SC; Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter in field. C-151 12.15 grams Here's the collector's tag:
I have a similar Magnesia ad Maeandrum drachm with the bee as control mark (Price 1937-1938 - bee facing outside). Obviously not the same condition, but this was part of the Christmas present I bought for myself in 2020 and quite a nice part of it Regarding the Faustina coin, the tag provides the identification "AE as" "C151" https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2657822 for full ID including RIC number
The Laetitita reverse for Faustina II is listed for the denarius, dupondius and sestertius. I noticed that the old tag describes the coin as an AE As, but it is actually a dupondius.
http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.3.m_aur.1656 Unless RIC is wrong, but I could not find any dupondii.
Never trust a single source (and I mean both RIC and Van Meter. He knew something, definitely)... anyway your coin is corresponding to RIC 1656 (I don't have the David Van Meter catalog). I found 2 entries on acsearch where it is described as "As or Dupondious", rest of the entries including the one I wrote for the first time are described As. If that coin were mine (nice one btw) I would catalog it with all reference entries available and consider it As or Dupondius.
