I bought an Alexander the Great Tetradrachm

NiceCurrency

I've been looking at these for a while and absolutely fell in love with this one.


Minted in Babylon between 309-300BC
Issued under Seleukos I Nikator who was of course the founder of the Seleucid "Empire"

Reverse says: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝ∆ΡΟΥ (King Alexander)
to the left of Zeus is an MI above a double bladed axe, also a monogrammed wreath below the throne



I'm getting a weird sense of deja vu posting this, I searched my name and I don't think I've posted it on here before, I know I did on facebook but not here.

WillieBoyd2

Nice coin!

And we know who you bought it from.

NiceCurrency

FORVM rocks!

lordmarcovan

Very nice.

I think every world coin collector should have one.

Mine was a posthumous one, but it was on a huge flan.

All I have now is a little drachm, which is not the best of examples.

I think the treasure room scene in The Man Who Would Be King (an excellent 1975 film I watched as a kid) was the first exposure I had to the romance of the Alexander the Great legend. (Fake though the coin in the movie was.)

Here is WB2's "Coins In Movies" page, with screenshots of the scene that grabbed my childhood imagination. (Thanks, WB2. Say, that reminds me- I need to send you that "Egyptian Magic Token" I found in that token bag, if you want it.)

WillieBoyd2

I have this coin which is similar to the one in "The Man Who Would be King"



Obverse:
Head of Alexander the Great wearing the Horn of Ammon

Reverse:
Athena left on throne, resting left arm on shield, spear resting against right side
Nike crowning name
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ (King Lysimachus)
Monogram ΠΥΘ on left, ΚΟ on right
ΗΜ monogram in exergue

Size: 30mm
Weight: 17.14gm
Catalog: Thompson 208
Struck: BC 288-281 (about) Amphipolis

LordMarcovan, thank you, yes, PM sent

NiceCurrency

sweet Lysimachus Alexander!

lordmarcovan

SmEagle1795 will be along to blow us all out of the water in 3... 2... 1...

Wait for it...

Here is my rather modest contribution to the Alexander theme.





And my old posthumous tetradrachm, which, though also modest in grade, was something I picked up for 150 bucks around 1998. Don't think you could do that with a big tet anymore. (A drachm like the one above, maybe, but...)

DorkGirl

Really nice!

NiceCurrency

lord M, do you know when that large posthumous one was minted? under who's reign?

SmEagle1795

<< <i>SmEagle1795 will be along to blow us all out of the water in 3... 2... 1...
>>



0 (kidding, but you asked for it )

Zohar

Great thread!

NiceCurrency

<< <i>

<< <i>SmEagle1795 will be along to blow us all out of the water in 3... 2... 1...
>>



0 (kidding, but you asked for it )

>>



that's a beauty, what can you tell us about it?

lordmarcovan

<< <i>lord M, do you know when that large posthumous one was minted? under who's reign? >>

I don't remember. 'Shamed to say that when I owned it, I really knew nothing about Greek coins, and I only know the tiniest bit more now. Still quite green, in fact.

Seem to recall a placename associated with it... Temnos? Could that be it? Dunno.

I don't even know if I still have the reverse image.

Andres

Congrats NiceCurrency Here's mine , minted between 316 - 312 BC under Antigonos I in Susa , nor far from Babylon (cat.nr. Price 3854)

NiceCurrency

the obverses are nothing to sneeze at but look at how well struck your reverses are, wow!

Aethelred

Great thread, I love these!

Hyperion

my office mates are complaining because I'm drooling all over my desk. BEAUTIFUL.

ColinCMR

Excellent coins!

Oh the history.
And Rudyard Kipling

nicholasz219

I have an unrequited love affair with this issue too. It shall be requited when I have the $ to buy it.

Nice purchase!

Swampboy

Nice pick UP!

I had an Alexander tet at one time.
Here it is pictured a few years back among a few of my ancients.

It had a few toning spots on it that I just couldn't abide so I traded it in on a gold solidus.