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Ancient Greece (Macedonian Kingdom): silver tetradrachm of Alexander III ("the Great"), po
lordmarcovan
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Ancient Greece (Macedonian Kingdom): silver tetradrachm of Alexander III ("the Great"), posthumous issue, ca. 205-200 BC
Macedonian Kingdom, posthumous silver tetradrachm in the name of Alexander III 'the Great' (336-323 BC). Struck at Herakleia Pontika in Asia Minor, circa 205-200 B.C.
Obverse: head of Herakles right, wearing headdress made from the skin of the Nemean lion. Reverse: name of Alexander; Zeus seated left, holding eagle and scepter; two monograms in left field; club in exergue. Die break in exergue.
Price 1284A, 31 mm, 16.72 g.Ex- Triskeles Auctions, Sale Number 315, Lot 33, 4/23/2015.
This posthumous "Alexander the Great" tetradrachm caught my eye for its sharp detail and attractive toning, so I bid on it and won it for exactly the predetermined maximum bid I had in mind. This is the second Alexander tetradrachm I've owned and by far the superior of the two. Alexander's fame was so widespread throughout the ancient world that many kingdoms were still striking coins with his name and image more than a century after his death.
Original auction listing
Wikipedia links:
Heraklea Pontika
Alexander the Great
Herakles/Hercules
Nemean lion
Zeus
When posted here, this coin was part of my "Eclectic Box of 20" collection.
Macedonian Kingdom, posthumous silver tetradrachm in the name of Alexander III 'the Great' (336-323 BC). Struck at Herakleia Pontika in Asia Minor, circa 205-200 B.C.
Obverse: head of Herakles right, wearing headdress made from the skin of the Nemean lion. Reverse: name of Alexander; Zeus seated left, holding eagle and scepter; two monograms in left field; club in exergue. Die break in exergue.
Price 1284A, 31 mm, 16.72 g.Ex- Triskeles Auctions, Sale Number 315, Lot 33, 4/23/2015.
This posthumous "Alexander the Great" tetradrachm caught my eye for its sharp detail and attractive toning, so I bid on it and won it for exactly the predetermined maximum bid I had in mind. This is the second Alexander tetradrachm I've owned and by far the superior of the two. Alexander's fame was so widespread throughout the ancient world that many kingdoms were still striking coins with his name and image more than a century after his death.
Original auction listing
Wikipedia links:
Heraklea Pontika
Alexander the Great
Herakles/Hercules
Nemean lion
Zeus
When posted here, this coin was part of my "Eclectic Box of 20" collection.
0
Comments
Looks like you got an attractive piece for an attractive price.
I like that reverse. The die break adds a lot of interest and my goodness Zeus looks ripped,...eerrr... hammered, as can be.
I think you got a great coin there and for a pretty good price as Swampboy said. The toning on the reverse especially is very attractive.
Well, just Love coins, period.
<< <i>looks like an expanding ancient collection for you as well >>
Well, when I started the Box of 20 thing, it was practically ALL ancients, most of which were refugees from my old Roman Twelve Caesars set (much of which ended up going to live with NiceCurrency.)
Eventually my ancients went away, but they're starting to come back a little. Now that I'm not just limited to Roman Imperials, I can feel free to add some Greeks and some Roman Republicans, which have nicer designs anyway.
<< <i>Don't you find it suspicious when one coin, or perhaps three or four mysteriously are sold to you at your max bid (makes me think of Stacks 10-20 years ago). >>
I really don't have enough non-eBay auction experience to have noticed that. I did notice that this auction seemed to jump increments so that my max bid automatically became THE max bid on the lot, so apparently there was no proxy bid system like eBay and you end up paying your max regardless? Whatever the case, if there had been one more bid I'd have been out of there. It was sort of a "snipe" in that I placed my second and final bid in the last ten minutes. My first bid was much too low and I knew it would be, but it was a "marker" bid. I'm probably gonna do that on CNG too, since they seem to lack a watchlist feature.
Taler Custom Set
Ancient Custom Set
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
Taler Custom Set
Ancient Custom Set
Funny how we both bought Alexander tets within a few hours of each other, for almost the same amount.
I think mine gets the edge a bit in grade while yours places slightly higher on the historical appeal scale.
I think I like yours about as much as mine for those very different reasons.
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
Post 'em!
(Yes, even you, Smeagle, though you're bound to put us all to shame.)
My YouTube Channel
<< <i>(Yes, even you, Smeagle, though you're bound to put us all to shame.) >>
Here's my lifetime tetradrachm:
Also perhaps of interest is a more recent purchase of mine, a Kamarina tetradrachm. This type served as the stylistic base for the ATG tetradrachms, minted about 100 years earlier:
nice additions folks
<< <i>Congrats.
Looks like you got an attractive piece for an attractive price.
I like that reverse. The die break adds a lot of interest and my goodness Zeus looks ripped,...eerrr... hammered, as can be. >>
I have no substantial contribution to this thread other than to say "++" to the quoted text.
And, to say that the other coins look quite delicious too.
(to all)
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
Taler Custom Set
Ancient Custom Set
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
Taler Custom Set
Ancient Custom Set
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com