Got me a drachm of Alexander III from Vcoins, and I believe it's also a lifetime issue that the seller didn't include in the description! I like the well-centered obverse on this coin, the reverse shows the usual seated Zeus, but it also depicts Artemis Phosphoros holding two torches (mine's worn) and the symbol Δ below the throne. From my research, I guess the mint is Lampsakos. Price 1354. 328-323 BC. 4.2g
Nice. That's a quintessential type to have in a collection of ancient coins. Alexander III “the Great,” Kingdom of Macedonia, drachm, 334–323 BC, Sardes mint. Obv: Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev: AΛEXANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre, monogram left, club right. 16.5mm, 4.02g. Ref: Price 2550.
You are correct, Price 1354. However, Price identifies the small figure as Demeter. One major auction house cites Demeter on one coin and Artemis Phosphoros on another coin. Hmmm.
Memorable example, @JayAg47, and a solid complement, @Orielensis. I only ever had a worn one; part of the juvenile collection; long gone. But one arresting thing thing about your example, maybe a little more subtle on @Orielensis's one, is the high relief, very apparent even without side views. To me, it evokes the fact that Alexander's immediate milieu was Hellenic, rather than Hellenistic, for which development he was largely responsible.
I usually collect Roman denari, but when I first held this coin I couldn’t believe how chunky it was even at the same diameter, and ‘prominent’ the bust was compared to the portraits on my denari!
