Show Me Your Big Greek Tets!

Call me crass, but there's nothing like holding one (or even two) of these in hand. I'm fond of tiny silver fractions as well, but there's just something viscerally pleasing about these majestic, weighty pieces of Greek silver. It's something that, for me, photographs often cannot fully capture.

These two recent pick ups are fairly humble as far as Greek tets can go, but I've been enjoying them immensely. So, now that you've seen mine, let's see some others!


KINGS OF MACEDON
temp. Kassander - Antigonos II Gonatas
AR Tetradrachm
16.72g, 29mm
Uncertain mint in Greece or Macedon, circa 310-275 BC
Price 866; Stuttgart 1, lot 178 (same dies)
O: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin.
R: AΛEΞAN∆POY, Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, forepart of Pegasos left.
Rare. Ex Dr. Will Gordon Collection.


KINGS OF THRACE
Lysimachos
AR Tetradrachm
16.78g, 29mm
Lampsakos mint, 297-281 BC
Thompson 47; Müller 401; SNG France 2540–2542
O: Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon.
R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ, Athena Nikephoros seated left, arm resting on shield, spear in background; HP monogram to inner left, crescent in exergue.

 

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I like your phrase "it's something photographs cannot capture". Its true. There is just something about holding a tet or a huge Ptolemaic bronze that transcends photography. Those who haven't tried it should.

 

Roman Provincial, but Greek enough. Tyre, Trajan, Melqart...

 

I couldn't agree more---not the 'crass' part, but the absolute joy of holding them in hand LOL....... two I purchased over the last several months:

Antiochos III, 223-187 BC; 17 grams, 28 mm---King right, Apollo seated left on Omphalos.

Byzantion Thrace, 240-200 BC, 26 mm, 12.43 grams---Veiled and wreathed head of Demeter right, Poseidon seated right on rocks holding trident and aphlaston

 

One of my favorite Greek tetradrachms (but I must admit to a real fondness for tiny silver fractions as well):


MACEDONIAN KINGDON
Phillip II, Amphiplis mint
359-336 BC
AR tetradrachm 14.2gm - 25 mm
Obv: Laurel head of Zeus r.
Rx: Naked youth on horse pacing r., holding long palm branch; ΦΙΛΠ -- ΠΟΥ behind and before; with A monogram below horse's belly and race-torch below horse's raised foreleg, nothing in ex.

 

SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles
310-305 BCE
AR tetradrachm, 17.40 g, 24 mm
Obv: head of the nymph Arethusa left, wearing grain wreath, earring and necklace; around, three dolphins; under, monogram (NK?)
Rev: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, fast chariot charioteer leads to left, holding reins and kentron; above, triskeles; in exergue, monogram
Ref: Ierardi 12 (O2-R8); SNG Copenhagen 573 var., SNG ANS 637
The story of its acquisition is here.


KINGS OF MACEDON, Philip II
AR tetradrachm. 24mm, 14.20 gm, 12h
Lifetime issue of Pella, 342-336 BCE
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right
Rev: ΦIΛIΠ-ΠOY, youth, holding palm and reins, on horseback right, thunderbolt below, N in exergue
Ref: Le Rider 222-306. SNG ANS 385-95
Formerly slabbed, NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style.
ex Colosseo Collection


KINGS OF MACEDON, Antigonos II Gonatas
277/6-239 BCE, struck after 270 BCE, Amphipolis mint
AR tetradrachm, 31mm, 17.06 g
Obv: head of Pan in center of Macedonian shield, lagobolon over shoulder; shield decorated with stars within crescents
Rev: BASILEWS ANTIGONOU, Athena Alkidemos walking left, brandishing thunderbolt and shield; helmet left, EMP monogram right
Ref: SNGCop 1200v, EMP (maybe); R. Martin, "A Third-Century B.C. Hoard from Thessaly at the ANS," ANSMN 26, 536 (same obv. die).
ex Demetrios Armounta Collection


KINGS of MACEDON. Antigonos III Doson
struck 227-225 BCE, Amphipolis mint?
AR tetradrachm, 32 mm, 17.1 gm
Obv: wreathed head of Poseidon right
Rev: Apollo seated left on prow left, holding bow; monogram below.
Ref: Panagopoulou 50–3 var. (unlisted dies); EHC 436; Touratsoglou 52–3; SNG Saroglos 933; SNG Alpha Bank 1046; SNG Ashmolean 3266


KINGS OF MACEDON
THRACE, Odessos; struck 125-70 BCE
AR tetradrachm, 33 mm, 16.7 gm
In the name and style of Alexander III 'the Great'
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress.
Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ; Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre; ΔH left, monogram under throne.
Ref: Price 1180 (1179?)

 

I want one, but am cheap.

 

Great coins to look at, so I can only imagine what it's like to hold one. In other words, I don't have one.

 

Actually, not quite true. Here is one:

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

 

say somebody big ti..ts...

 

That is why some of us have junkers. TIF's coin is wonderful and sells for the same as a fistfull of coins like I have. We each must make decisions on such matters.
Syracuse

Thasos


Athens
Macedon, Demetrios Polioketes

Pergamum, Eumenes II

 

WOW!!! Gorgeous examples !!! And TIF's are in a class all by themselves.

 

I am still without...

 

man, i don't have any silver tets either.... very high on my list.

those are some big, new sweet tets you have the Z! i'm not sure which i like better, but that bust of alexander is pretty awesome.

 

Much nicer than the junkers I used to drive.

 

I have to agree, she kills the category. I do like that Byzantion tetradrachm of yours though, and wouldn't mind one of my own.

 

Only because AJ and a few others haven't brought out their big guns.

 

When you have an ex-AJ coin in there, I don't think you're allowed to be modest .

 

=> man, I absolutely love seeing everybody's gorgeous Tets!! (ummm, is that wrong)

Yah, I also happen to have more than a handful!!

=> here are a few more big babies to ogle!!

Syracuse Heiron I Tet




Athenian Attic Owl




Kingdom of Macedonia, Philip II




Kings of Macedon, Antigonos II Gonatas



Lycia Phaselis revision of Alex III of Macedon




Dionysian Tetradrachm of Maroneia

 

.... uh-oh ...

=> hey, wait-up ... I have one more sweet addition

Mysia, Pergamon Cistophoic Tetradrachm