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Finally got myself a full-sized Alexander the Great portrait coin!
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<p>[QUOTE="The Meat man, post: 24649853, member: 135271"]IT'S HARD TO THINK of a more iconic figure from ancient history than Alexander the Great, or a more consequential one. He succeeded his father Philip II as king of Macedon at the age of 20, and in a mere dozen years had pretty much conquered the known world. Alexander became a legend in his own lifetime and his story has fascinated audiences all the way down to the year 2023, and will probably do so for thousands of years to come.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/Alexander_the_Great_Ny_Carlsberg_Glyptotek_IN574_n1.jpg.12effde3f75db890ef3c33eff5d69a57.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately Alexander was a much better general than he was a king - and his empire crumbled immediately upon his untimely death in Babylon in 323 B.C. However, his influence in shaping world history was both profound and enduring.</p><p><br /></p><p>Of course lots of soldiers require lots of coins and Alexander’s coinage was minted on a scale never before seen. Mints sprang up all over the newly conquered territories, striking bright silver drachms and tetradrachms in order to pay the troops. Most of these bore the image of Herakles wearing the Nemean lionskin on the obverse, and the seated figure of Zeus on the reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/3854231.jpg.11eaae888d3deed57f7da96b5e93bf77.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>ex Nomos - <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3854231" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3854231" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3854231</a></p><p><br /></p><p>There is a school of thought that argues that the image of Herakles on the obverse actually portrays the features of Alexander <i>as</i> Herakles; Harlan J Berk makes the case in his book <i>100 Greatest Ancient Coins</i>. I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. I’m not fully convinced.</p><p><br /></p><p>In any case, shortly after Alexander’s death his former general and bodyguard, a man named Lysimachos, took control of the regions of Thrace, Asia Minor, and Macedon and began to strike coins, not bearing his own portrait but rather, unequivocally that of the now-deified Alexander the Great.</p><p><br /></p><p>These coins are beautifully struck in very high relief, and exhibit some of the finest portrait artistry to come out of the Hellenistic era. I’m continually amazed at the quality, not only of the engraving, but also of the flan preparation and striking - despite the large quantities minted, and the high relief, there seem to be very few poor, soft, or off-center strikes.</p><p><br /></p><p>All in all the Lysimachos tetradrachm featuring Alexander is one of the most iconic ancient coins, right up there with the Athena/Owl tetradrachm or the coins of Julius Caesar. It’s one of those coins that every collector at least <i>should</i> have in his/her collection. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> Unfortunately this demand means that the prices can be high, easily $1K for a nice example.</p><p><br /></p><p>So it is with a combination of delight and awe that I show off my own specimen! Purchased earlier this year. Didn’t cost $1K but -gulp- was a little too close for comfort <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie67" alt=":nailbiting:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> - anyway we won’t think about that. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> It’s not FDC by any means, but still very nice, with a particularly pleasing obverse. I’m just thrilled to be able to own one, wasn’t sure if I ever would!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/lysimachos_tet_v2.jpg.0d25f2ee979365e458dfa52b575a77a1.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p>Now when I started researching for attribution I ran into a little bit of a puzzle. I knew it was a somewhat rare type; searches on ACSearch.com brought up only 5 examples sold. Of these, 3 claimed to be struck from the same dies as “Stockholm 845”. However there is a clear conflict among them. Upon close examination, I was convinced that my coin was struck with the same dies as these two auction listings, both claiming to be struck from the same dies as Stockholm 845:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/8487849.jpg.9de5bf6635d0aaa6b777a02dc0fad1ec.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>ex CNG - <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849</a></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/2544066.jpg.dc457138f2609be0f01e2efa58b905a4.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>ex Roma - <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066</a></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p>The third listing claiming to be struck from the same dies as Stockholm 845 was this coin, sold through CNG:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/6069193.jpg.8b99dc6cec61bc4517d0a0d97a3003c2.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>ex CNG - <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193</a></p><p><br /></p><p>BUT as you can see from the position of the cornucopia and the lettering, this reverse die, at least, is clearly <i>not </i>the same die as the other two above. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie77" alt=":pompous:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p>To make things even more confusing, I then found that <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954" rel="nofollow">one of the other 2 ACSearch coins</a> which did <i>not </i>claim to be of the same 845 dies - ex-CNG - was later sold through a VCoins store, and was listed <i>there</i> as being struck from the same dies as Stockholm 845. However the reverse-die, at least, was clearly different from the other ACSearch listings making the claim:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/Cm2TifW694gTpGJ5Bw7Bs9zN88HjkS.jpg.8b48e5a7bf67b31451112618017166a8.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>ex VCoins - <a href="https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zuzim/172/product/lysimachos_ar_tetradrachm_about_extremely_fine_rare_lovely_style_297__281_bce/1259602/Default.aspx" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zuzim/172/product/lysimachos_ar_tetradrachm_about_extremely_fine_rare_lovely_style_297__281_bce/1259602/Default.aspx" rel="nofollow">Lysimachos AR Tetradrachm, About Extremely Fine, RARE, Lovely Style! 297 - 281 B.C.E. (vcoins.com)</a></p><p><br /></p><p>In my own attribution I went with the weight of the 2 auction houses versus the VCoins coin, but I’d love if someone with access to Stockholm could confirm which coin(s) share the plate coin’s dies and which do not!</p><p><br /></p><p>In any event, it does appear to be a rather rare variety, and though that was not at all the reason I made the purchase, it’s a nice little extra. Besides the 5 on ACSearch and my own coin I could not find any other examples online.</p><p><br /></p><p>Please post up your own Alexander portrait coins, coins you never thought you’d get to own, or any other comments!</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="3"> Examples: </font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3"> “SAME DIES” Ex CNG, auction 118, lot 115, 9/13/2021 ( <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849</a> ) - same as CNG auction 93, lot 121, 5/22/2013 (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4832874" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4832874" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4832874</a>) </font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3"> “SAME DIES” Ex CNG, auction 446, lot 19, 6/19/2019 (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193</a>) </font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3"> Ex Savoca, 26th Silver auction, lot 99, 10/14/2018 (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5355826" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5355826" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5355826</a>) - tough to see; clearly not same dies as other claimants. </font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3"> “SAME DIES” Ex Roma, E-Sale 18, lot 235, 6/27/2015 (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066</a>) </font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3"> Ex CNG, auction 225, lot 24, 1/13/2010 (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954</a>) - same as Zuzim, Vcoins (SOLD) (<a href="https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zuzim/172/product/lysimachos_ar_tetradrachm_about_extremely_fine_rare_lovely_style_297__281_bce/1259602/Default.aspx" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zuzim/172/product/lysimachos_ar_tetradrachm_about_extremely_fine_rare_lovely_style_297__281_bce/1259602/Default.aspx" rel="nofollow">Lysimachos AR Tetradrachm, About Extremely Fine, RARE, Lovely Style! 297 - 281 B.C.E. (vcoins.com)</a>) </font>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="The Meat man, post: 24649853, member: 135271"]IT'S HARD TO THINK of a more iconic figure from ancient history than Alexander the Great, or a more consequential one. He succeeded his father Philip II as king of Macedon at the age of 20, and in a mere dozen years had pretty much conquered the known world. Alexander became a legend in his own lifetime and his story has fascinated audiences all the way down to the year 2023, and will probably do so for thousands of years to come. [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/Alexander_the_Great_Ny_Carlsberg_Glyptotek_IN574_n1.jpg.12effde3f75db890ef3c33eff5d69a57.jpg[/IMG] Unfortunately Alexander was a much better general than he was a king - and his empire crumbled immediately upon his untimely death in Babylon in 323 B.C. However, his influence in shaping world history was both profound and enduring. Of course lots of soldiers require lots of coins and Alexander’s coinage was minted on a scale never before seen. Mints sprang up all over the newly conquered territories, striking bright silver drachms and tetradrachms in order to pay the troops. Most of these bore the image of Herakles wearing the Nemean lionskin on the obverse, and the seated figure of Zeus on the reverse. [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/3854231.jpg.11eaae888d3deed57f7da96b5e93bf77.jpg[/IMG] ex Nomos - [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3854231[/URL] There is a school of thought that argues that the image of Herakles on the obverse actually portrays the features of Alexander [I]as[/I] Herakles; Harlan J Berk makes the case in his book [I]100 Greatest Ancient Coins[/I]. I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. I’m not fully convinced. In any case, shortly after Alexander’s death his former general and bodyguard, a man named Lysimachos, took control of the regions of Thrace, Asia Minor, and Macedon and began to strike coins, not bearing his own portrait but rather, unequivocally that of the now-deified Alexander the Great. These coins are beautifully struck in very high relief, and exhibit some of the finest portrait artistry to come out of the Hellenistic era. I’m continually amazed at the quality, not only of the engraving, but also of the flan preparation and striking - despite the large quantities minted, and the high relief, there seem to be very few poor, soft, or off-center strikes. All in all the Lysimachos tetradrachm featuring Alexander is one of the most iconic ancient coins, right up there with the Athena/Owl tetradrachm or the coins of Julius Caesar. It’s one of those coins that every collector at least [I]should[/I] have in his/her collection. ;) Unfortunately this demand means that the prices can be high, easily $1K for a nice example. So it is with a combination of delight and awe that I show off my own specimen! Purchased earlier this year. Didn’t cost $1K but -gulp- was a little too close for comfort :nailbiting: - anyway we won’t think about that. :D It’s not FDC by any means, but still very nice, with a particularly pleasing obverse. I’m just thrilled to be able to own one, wasn’t sure if I ever would! [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/lysimachos_tet_v2.jpg.0d25f2ee979365e458dfa52b575a77a1.jpg[/IMG] Now when I started researching for attribution I ran into a little bit of a puzzle. I knew it was a somewhat rare type; searches on ACSearch.com brought up only 5 examples sold. Of these, 3 claimed to be struck from the same dies as “Stockholm 845”. However there is a clear conflict among them. Upon close examination, I was convinced that my coin was struck with the same dies as these two auction listings, both claiming to be struck from the same dies as Stockholm 845: [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/8487849.jpg.9de5bf6635d0aaa6b777a02dc0fad1ec.jpg[/IMG] ex CNG - [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849[/URL] [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/2544066.jpg.dc457138f2609be0f01e2efa58b905a4.jpg[/IMG] ex Roma - [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066[/URL] The third listing claiming to be struck from the same dies as Stockholm 845 was this coin, sold through CNG: [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/6069193.jpg.8b99dc6cec61bc4517d0a0d97a3003c2.jpg[/IMG] ex CNG - [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193[/URL] BUT as you can see from the position of the cornucopia and the lettering, this reverse die, at least, is clearly [I]not [/I]the same die as the other two above. :pompous: To make things even more confusing, I then found that [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954']one of the other 2 ACSearch coins[/URL] which did [I]not [/I]claim to be of the same 845 dies - ex-CNG - was later sold through a VCoins store, and was listed [I]there[/I] as being struck from the same dies as Stockholm 845. However the reverse-die, at least, was clearly different from the other ACSearch listings making the claim: [IMG]https://content.invisioncic.com/k321387/monthly_2023_07/Cm2TifW694gTpGJ5Bw7Bs9zN88HjkS.jpg.8b48e5a7bf67b31451112618017166a8.jpg[/IMG] ex VCoins - [URL='https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zuzim/172/product/lysimachos_ar_tetradrachm_about_extremely_fine_rare_lovely_style_297__281_bce/1259602/Default.aspx']Lysimachos AR Tetradrachm, About Extremely Fine, RARE, Lovely Style! 297 - 281 B.C.E. (vcoins.com)[/URL] In my own attribution I went with the weight of the 2 auction houses versus the VCoins coin, but I’d love if someone with access to Stockholm could confirm which coin(s) share the plate coin’s dies and which do not! In any event, it does appear to be a rather rare variety, and though that was not at all the reason I made the purchase, it’s a nice little extra. Besides the 5 on ACSearch and my own coin I could not find any other examples online. Please post up your own Alexander portrait coins, coins you never thought you’d get to own, or any other comments! [SIZE=3] Examples: “SAME DIES” Ex CNG, auction 118, lot 115, 9/13/2021 ( [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8487849[/URL] ) - same as CNG auction 93, lot 121, 5/22/2013 ([URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4832874[/URL]) “SAME DIES” Ex CNG, auction 446, lot 19, 6/19/2019 ([URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6069193[/URL]) Ex Savoca, 26th Silver auction, lot 99, 10/14/2018 ([URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5355826[/URL]) - tough to see; clearly not same dies as other claimants. “SAME DIES” Ex Roma, E-Sale 18, lot 235, 6/27/2015 ([URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544066[/URL]) Ex CNG, auction 225, lot 24, 1/13/2010 ([URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=728954[/URL]) - same as Zuzim, Vcoins (SOLD) ([URL='https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zuzim/172/product/lysimachos_ar_tetradrachm_about_extremely_fine_rare_lovely_style_297__281_bce/1259602/Default.aspx']Lysimachos AR Tetradrachm, About Extremely Fine, RARE, Lovely Style! 297 - 281 B.C.E. (vcoins.com)[/URL]) [/SIZE][/QUOTE]
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Finally got myself a full-sized Alexander the Great portrait coin!
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