Lets see your favorite tetradrachms!

Thanks everyone for your input on my previous thread of "most aesthetically pleasing coin in your collection". I think I've narrowed down what I'm looking for in an ancient so if you could, please post your favorite/prettiest/most interesting designed tetradrachms! Looking forward to seeing them all

 

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I don't have many tets and the majority of the ones I do own are Seleukid. These two would probably be my favourites.

Seleukos I

Seleukos II

 

MARCUS ANTONIUS
Ionia Silver Cistophoric Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, head of Antony right, wreathed in ivy, lituus below, all within wreath of ivy and grapes
REVERSE: III VIR R P C, bust of Octavia right on cista flanked by snakes
Ephesus 39 BC
11.8gm, 26mm
RPC I 2201, Sydenham 1197, Sear 262

If you overlook the pitting on this particular tet, it's a fine style. You can find these in much better condition:

ATHENS ATTICA
AR Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right
REVERSE: Owl standing right, head facing, on overturned amphora; to left, eagle standing right on thunderbolt; Gamma on amphora, ΗΡΑ in exergue; all within laurel wreath
Struck at Athens Epigene-, Sosandros and Eume(nes)-, magistrates 127/26 BC
16.8g, 30mm
Thompson 477a

 

What I focus on lately. Some of my favorites, but have many others.

Rarest Tet I own:


Lucilla (164 - 182 A.D.)
Billion Tetradrachm
EGYPT, Alexandria
O: ΛOVKIΛΛA C–ЄB ANT CЄ ΘV, draped bust right.
R: Elpis stdg. l. holding flowers & lifting skirt. LS=6th yr.
Alexandria Mint
24mm
11.33g
Dattari 3816, Emmett 2473, R5

Few Favorites:


Caracalla 198-217 A.D
AR Tetradrachm
Laodicea ad Mare, Seleucis and Pieria
O: AYT K M A ANTΩNEINOC CEB, laureate head right.
R: ∆HMAPX EΞ YΠATOC TO ∆, facing eagle, head left holding wreath in beak, star between legs.
27mm
12.5g
Prieur 1179


Gallienus ( 253 - 268 A.D.)
Billon Tetradrachm
O: A K Π ΛI OY ΓAΛΛIANOC EY EY C, bearded, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: Nike (Victory) walking right, wreath extended in right, palm frond over shoulder in left, L - S flanking across field.
Alexandria Mint 258 -259 A.D.
21.6mm
9.13g
Savio pl. 271, 10525 (same dies); BMC Alexandria p. 286, 2194; Milne 3995; SNG Cop 768; Kampmann 90.31; Emmett 3736 (R2)

Published on wildwinds.


Claudius (41 - 54 A.D.)
AR Tetradrachm
EGYPT, Alexandria
O: TI KLA[UDI KAIS SEBA GERMANI AUTOKR], laureate head of Claudius right; LB to right.
R: ANTWNIA SEBASTH, draped bust of Antonia right, wearing hair in long plait.
Dated RY 2 (41/2 AD)
23mm
11.62g
Dattari 114; Milne 61-64; Emmett 73.

Since Roaches are popular lately.


Gordian III (238 - 244 A.D.)
AR Tetradrachm
Syria, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
O: AVTOK K M ANT GORDIANOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
R: DHMAPX EX UPATO B, eagle standing facing, head left with wreath in beak, below, crescent & ram running left.
Antioch Mint, Struck 242 A.D.
27mm
13.5g
Prieur 301


Tiberius (14 - 34 A.D.)
AR Tetradrachm
EGYPT, Alexandria
O: [TI]BERIOS KAISAR SEBASTOS, laureate head of Tiberius right; LID (date) in right field.
R: QEOS SEBASTOS, radiate head of Augustus left.
EGYPT, Alexandria Mint, year 14=27/28 A.D.
13.43g
23mm
RPC I 5090; Milne 54; Emmett 61

 

Danubian Celts, 3rd - 1st Century BC
Silver Tetradrachm, 27mm, 16.71 grams
Obverse: Head of Herakles right wearing lions skin with ornamentation.
Blundered legend reading "King Phillip", Zeus enthroned left holding eagle and sceptre, two monograms left, letter below throne.
Kostial905

 

I would say the two I posted on your thread regarding aesthetics were my two favorite but I'll throw my Antiochos VII into the mix as well.

It's not the highest grade example but I really like the large, high relief portraits on the Seleucid issues.

 

"Tetradrachms" include quite a range of beasts. Hellenistic ones tend to have a ruler portrait and some god on the reverse. I've never been into them all that much. Earlier Greeks are often not as large looking even if the weigh the same because of their greater thickness. I'm not really comfortable with forcing the name on some coins just because they are large silver coins. We don't know what they were called in every case in every place. On the other end, the term is retained for billon and silver Roman Provincials. Do they count in your interest area?
Syracuse 5th century BC


Side, c.200 BC


There are many versions of Alexander types. This is a fourree from Arados, 185 BC.


Demetrios Poliorketes 294-288 BC


Eumenes II, Pergamon 197-159 BC


Otho, Antioch, 69 AD



Commodus, Alexandria, 180-181 AD


If the appeal is large silver, there are staters or nomoi with as large diameters but thinner so they don't weigh as much. This one is Sybaris from the late 6th century BC.

 

Doug stole my thunder...I was going to toss up a billon and potin one.

Not going to try and pick. Here are several. Hopefully you find some of them interesting.

 

These three are probably my favorite:

Rhegium:


Kamarina:


Agathokles:

 

WOW there's no way those fit into my budget, but the details are absolutely stunning.

 

I have a few already posted here, so I won't add more.

Nero
Year 110, 60/61 AD
Antioch Mint
AR Tetradrachm
Obvs: NEPΩNOΣ KAIΣAP OΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, Nero laureate right wearing aegis
Revs: Eagle left on thunderbolt; palm branch before. H IP to right
23x27mm, 14.8g

 

SOLID

 

My 3 Tetradrachm's
P

Paeonian Tetradrachm


Alexander Tetradrachm


Carinus Billon Tetradrachm

 

Before 100% Hadrian area

Kingdom of Thrace, Lysimachos, 305 - 281 B.C., Portrait of Alexander the Great
KINGS of MACEDONIA. Antigonos II Gonatas. 277/6-239 BC. AR Tetradrachm Amphipolis mint.

 

From my slab happy days

 

I just showed this the other day but as my first and only tet, I love it.


Nero AR Tetrdrachm

Love the detail of the eagle feathers and its thickness. I like silver tets more than billon personally.

 

Is it my prettiest Tet? NO

Is it my most expensive Tet? NO

Is it the most historically or artistically significant Tet? NO

So why this one then? Because I really like Trajan and I'd take a Trajan Tet over any of my other Tets any day of the week.


PHOENICIA, Tyre. Trajan, 98-117 AD. AR Tetradrachm
Laureate head with eagle below / Head of Melqart draped in lion skin.