Home› World & Ancient Coins Forum
Options

Alexander the Great Drachm question

nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
Hello All,

I bought this nice drachm a few weeks ago and am just now getting around to putting up some photos. I am having a hard time identifying it though. It looks a lot like Price 14 on Wildwinds, with 17mm and 4.1gr measurements making it a drachm, not tetradrachm. There is a wreath in the left reverse field under the hand holding the eagle. At least I think it is a wreath. There is definitely a circle within the outer circle, so unless it is a donut, I do not think it is a shield. I scrolled through what felt like 1,000,000 different drachma and tetradrachma before I gave up and thought I would ask the fine folks here.

Can anyone give me any help? Also, any advice on how to narrow down my searches on Wildwinds would be helpful as well.

Thanks in advance for your help, everyone.

image

image
My Collection

Comments

  • bronzematbronzemat Posts: 2,663 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dont specialize in these but lovely coin.
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Thanks, Mat! That is a very nice compliment coming from you! Usually, I am playing catch up to what you already have examples of in your collection.
    My Collection
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Bump. Any help anyone?
    My Collection
  • AncientgalleonllcAncientgalleonllc Posts: 6
    Demetrius I, Miletos Mint. That's a Labrys below the thrown and what would be a monogram in the left field not a wreath. We do not comment on authenticity fom online pictures.
  • NiceCurrencyNiceCurrency Posts: 885 ✭
    this is a lovely example Nicholas image

    to echo one of your recent comments, the comradery is part of the fun image If I didn't see LordM posting his wonderful ancients years ago I don't know that I would've ever gotten the bug
    =Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award 4/28/2014=
  • determineddetermined Posts: 771 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Demetrius I, Miletos Mint. >>



    Agree it's Demetrius Poliorcetes aka Demetrius I, and Miletos mint.
    And BTW he's my avatar.
    I collect history in the form of coins.
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Determined, I spent a few hours looking at the Alexander III section on Wildwinds. How would I better attribute this coin like you have with a limited knowledge base?
    Meaning: I really get frustrated starting at coins that all look similar but then it turns out I was in the wrong place anyway.

    What monogram could it be in the left field, if not a wreath? I do appreciate all of the information all.
    My Collection
  • determineddetermined Posts: 771 ✭✭✭
    nicholasz219,

    When I first looked at your picture, the labrys below the throne, and the style of Herakles on the obverse immediately said to me Demetrius Poliorcetes and the Miletos mint.

    I went through both Martin J. Price's The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus reference and Newell's The Coinages of Demetrius Poliorcetes reference, and also the images I have collected from auctions and web pages to try to pin down your coin more. But I've come away with more doubts than certainties.

    Looking closer at your coin the style of the chair in your picture does not match any drachm of Miletos. No chair out of dozens of pictures I have looked at have just dots for legs. In the references the chair and legs are quite thick and ornamented.

    The style of Zeus's legs and garments does not match the images in the references.

    The style of the lion's mane on the obverse is similar but does not match the images in the references.

    I looked for all instances of a labrys below the throne in Price's Alexander reference. Only the coins of Miletos have the labrys below the throne. And yours does not match any of the them.

    When I first looked at your coin the softness of the features on both sides concerned me. That softness can denote a cast fake.

    I don't like to use the "F" word, (fake) about someone else's coin unless I have very good reasons. But because of all of the above I now have concerns about the authenticity of your coin.

    It could be authentic and yours was made from some aberrant dies. But I'm doubting it.


    If you don't mind saying, where did you get it?

    You could search the following for more examples to see if you find a close match to yours:

    http://www.cngcoins.com/Coins_sold.aspx

    http:// http://www.acsearch.info/index.html

    For search terms note that Miletos can be spelled Miletos or Miletus.



    I collect history in the form of coins.
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    I bought it from an ebay seller. Feedback was all good and there were several bidders for the coin. If it is fake, I will happily dispute the sale and send it back. Any advice?
    My Collection
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Well a follow up. I sent the seller a friendly message and he is talking to his dealer but he is wiling to take the coin back. So, keep fingers crossed.
    My Collection
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    So after about two weeks of communication and shipping time, the coin has been returned to its seller and I am in possession of a refund. He was pretty nice about all of it and told me that he spoke to his dealer who claimed that it was genuine. I was given a no vote by several of you reputable folks here on the forum and that was enough for me. I am happy to have my money back and will just have to take a better shot at one of these from a seller I have a relationship with. I am disappointed, I will admit because I have wanted to add a drachm of Alexander III for some time. But on the other hand, I see no need to support the forgers of the world either. So back to the drawing board.

    Anyone who would like to PM me and give the name of a dealer who will be good to work with on these on the lower end of the budgetary spectrum, I am very open to suggestions.
    My Collection
Sign In or Register to comment.