The tetradrachm size varies according to when and where it was minted but ranges from 25-40 mm wide and weighs 17.2 grams of silver (larger than a quarter). Text: Price 478 ca 315-294 BC, Amphipolis Mint, Head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin knotted at base of neck / AΛEΞANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre. On the front of the coin is the image of Alexander the Great. You've been subscribed to the NGC eNewsletter. ), better known as Alexander the Great. Tetradrachm - 310 BC, Macedonian Empire - Alexander the Great in LION SKIN. Please try again later. Tetradrachms of Alexander are also noteworthy for the vast array of symbols and monograms that occur in the reverse field. weight, nearly pure silver, depicting Herakles (Hercules), mythological founding father of Macedonia. VF. Born a Alexander's tetradrachms and drachms features Alexander's portrait as Herakles (same as Roman Hercules). Guide. google_ad_width = 728; Seller 99.7% positive. After 323 B.C., this coin type was used with the names of both Alexander III and Philip III. Artworks related to tag. In general, tetradrachms bearing Alexander’s name are posthumously attributed to Alexander down to about 275 B.C., after which things become more complicated. ALEXANDER the Great Tetradrachm Rare King KAVAROS Herakles Ancient Silver Coin Z. $1,171.12. ALEXANDER III the GREAT 311BC Silver Tetradrachm Ancient Greek Coin NGC i60188. These “horns of Ammon” symbolize Alexander’s claim that he was the son of the Egyptian god Ammon. Price 476; Mueller 70; cf Sear 6713ff. After Alexander the Great had conquered Athens, no more Attic tetradrachms were minted. The Macedonian empire was founded by Alexander I but carried forward by others including Philip II (Father of Alexander the Great) and Alexander the Great. Seller 100% positive. Obverse: Head of Herakles facing right, wearing a lion skin headdress. Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? Alexander the Great, son of Philip II of Macedon, is arguably the most important historical figure in the ancient world. With the armies of Alexander the Great it spread to other Greek-influenced areas of Asia. Glomming: Coin Connoisseurship Counter marked on the Ear of the bust. Seller 100% positive. $660.00. 16.68g, 27mm, 2h. Valued at 4 Drachms, these large silver coins formed the backbone of Macedonian silver currency during the reign of Alexander III. Because the figures of Zeus of the earliest Alexander coins of Tarsus and the earliest of Amphipolis are so similar, Kleiner argues that the Baal minted by Mazaeus was the prototype for the … This is a similar piece as the previous one, another run-of-the-mill cast fake with indistinct details and pitted surfaces but no casting seam. Inscription text ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ(king Alexander's) Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm Owl (440-404 BC) AU NGC - SKU#228064. Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting the God Zeus, 348-336 BCE, issued by King Philip II of Macedonia Ancient Greek; Octadrachm (Coin) Portraying Queen Arsinoe II, After 270 BCE, issued by King Ptolemy II or III Ancient Greek; Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying Alexander the Great Wearing the Head of the Nemean Lion as a Helmet, 336-323 BCE Ancient Greek Museum reproduction ancient Greek coin minted in Thrace, Smirna, under King Lysimachus (305-281 BC). On the right, U.S. As Alexander built his empire, it was used to pay tribute, as well as mercenaries. 659. Alexander the Great is considered the greatest conqueror of all time and it took him 11 years (from 334-323 BC) in order to conquer the largest empire in ancient times. These markings functioned much like modern-day mintmarks on United States coins; today they help numismatists decipher where a particular Alexander tetradrachm was minted. Coin sites: This was likely among the first imperial coins Alexander issued. Alexander III AR Tetradrachm, 16.94 gr, 27.15 mm. Price 3599; Müller 670. His tetradrachms became so popular that they were accepted everywhere. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-9064191796818813"; Head of Herakles wearing a lions scalp / Zeus enthroned holding an eagle and scepter, torch at left, monogram below throne. Diameter: 1.3 in. Free shipping. Your message has been sent to NGC. remains shrouded in mystery, and has been, at various times, attributed to a murder plot, lingering illness, or simply too much wine. general picture of the dating of Alexander tetras has begun to emerge in the past few decades. However, Alexander’s claims to fame are multitudinous; not only did he conquer vast territories and topple the Persian Empire, but he was also almost single-handedly responsible for the spread and lasting influence of Hellenistic culture. Seller 100% positive. Although some dating attributions remain highly conjectural and are subject to almost constant revision, a Alexander III AR Tetradrachm. historical significance. Although the … Silver Tetradrachm, mint of Babylon, struck under Archon, Dokimos, or Seleucus I, c. 323-318/7 BC. 350-300 BC. The drachm is about 18 mm wide and weighs about 4.2 grams of silver (size of a penny). More than 120 mints are known to have issued coinage of the Alexandrine type. I bought it as a forgery on eBay for $11. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon. elaboration of an article of mine that appeared in the January 2002 issue of The Celator ; a series of expeditions that has gone unmatched in documented military history of the West. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion's skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated to left, holding sceptre; AΛEΞANΔPOY to right, monogram over M below throne. B.C., feature on the obverse Alexander in the guise of the demi-god Heracles (wearing a lion scalp), and on the reverse the seated figure of the supreme Greek god Zeus. The reverse scene is Zeus, seated, holding an eagle in his outstretched hand and a legend bearing his name in Greek. Join NGC for free to add coins, track your collection and participate in the NGC Registry. Free shipping. magazine. Mouse over to Zoom- Click to enlarge. 16243) US$ 1,750.00 Shanna Schmidt Numismatics Inc. In general, by the second to first centuries B.C., flans had become dramatically wider and thinner, comparable in size to a modern-day silver dollar. $102.50. Upon the assassination of Philip II in 336 B.C., the twenty year-old Alexander was proclaimed king by Macedonian noblemen and the Macedonian army, and subsequently assumed command of his father’s forces. Numismatists – the scholars who study coins – refer to the ‘front’ side of the coin, which usually features the head of a person or god, as the ‘obverse,’ and the ‘back’ side as the ‘reverse.’. Picture Information. The drachm is about 18 mm wide and weighs about 4.2 grams of silver (size of a penny). Struck under Stamenes or Archon. quarter dollar minted in Denver, Colorado, 2004, 24mm in diameter, 5.7g in weight, copper-nickel surface over copper He also issued a small amount of the impressive distaters, or double staters, that were thought to be used as payment to his most trusted soldiers. Alexander the Great lifetime tetradrachm from Amphipolis, Macedonia, c. 336-326 BC, 17.1g, M.J. Price 5, Troxell A2, SNG Cop. Side B: Zeus seated on throne. 4 Items total Alexander the Great (336-323 BC) Posthumous issue, struck under Philip III Arrhidaios 323-317 BC. Were he merely one of the conquering generals of antiquity, Alexander’s place in history would have been firmly secured. $1,650.00 previous price $1,650.00 + shipping. are in my possession are stored off site. https://franklinmint.com/products/alexander-the-great-tetradrachm Valued at 4 Drachms, these large silver coins formed the backbone of Macedonian silver currency during the reign of Alexander III. The tetradrachm's use as a currency was soon adopted by many other city-states of the ancient Greece, Asia Minor, Magna Grecia and other Greek colonial cities throughout the Mediterranean Sea. For numismatists as well, Alexander is an extremely important figure in the history of ancient coinage. Like the Herakles-type tetradrachms described above, these are large silver coins. Modern cast forgery of Alexander III tetradrachm, 15.0g. Animals, religious objects, and representations of deities are among the symbols that the collector will encounter. 315-294 BC. This month, NGC Ancients examines the silver tetradrachms of Alexander III of Macedon (356–323 B.C. His sudden death at the relatively young age of 32 in 323 B.C. It was a culture that would take root and survive into the Roman era; it was perhaps Alexander’s greatest contribution to the world. English:Silver tetradrachm, Alexander the Great, 323 BC, struck in Tarsos. It's a copy of a posthumous tetradrachm from Pella. This series of coins can be collected by symbol/monogram, and some of the scarcer issues command substantial premiums. He subsequently overthrew Persian King Darius III and conquered the Achaemenid Empire in its entirety. are highly collectible in their own right), his silver tetradrachms are among the most famous and instantly recognizable issues of the ancient world. But collectors prize this silver tetradrachm as much for its beauty and design as its rich heritage. Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection ca 315-294 BC, Amphipolis Mint, Head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin knotted at base of neck / AΛEΞANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre. On the obverse of this silver tetradrachm coin, a youthful bust of Herakles faces right. Image not available. In terms of visual description, each side of the coin acts as a testament to the rule of Lysimachus. google_ad_height = 90; Even today, his exploits are the standard against which military men measure themselves. Born on July 20th, 356 BC, he was an astute, if somewhat headstrong student, and was schooled by various famous teachers, notably Aristotle. BABYLON MINT. Bogos: Counterfeit Coins The two dominant coins of Alexander were the drachm (drachma) and the tetradrachm (tetra = 4). This Alexander the Great Tetradrachm coin is among the types struck during Alexander’s lifetime, which are considered to be the most artistic. $879.00. Guide Thank you! Alexander III "The Great" AR Tetradrachm. AncientGallery $ 3,750.00 FREE shipping Philip III of Macedon Silver Tetradrachm 323-317 B.C. core, depicting George Washington, founding father of the United States. Kleiner argues that the seated Zeus type on the Alexander tetradrachms was based on the Cilician type of the Baal of Tarsus, which implies that Alexander (or his officials) had seen these coins before minting his own. These coins, which were presumably first struck during the late-330s Alexander the Great Tetradrachm. Ancient Greek Ar Silver Tetradrachm Coin Of Alexander The Great 16.11G. Please refresh the page to confirm that you are signed in and then try again. Skillfully crafted with Heracles made in the likeness of Alexander (see Lysimachus Tetradrachm, which has Alexander's portrait on the obverse). /* Ad03 */ The tetradrachm's use as a currency was soon adopted by many other city-states of the ancient Greece, Asia Minor, Magna Grecia and other Greek colonial cities throughout the Mediterranean Sea.With the armies of Alexander the Great it spread to other Greek-influenced areas of Asia.. Tetradrachms were common as trade coins. ), most collectors of ancients will prefer a “lifetime issue” of Alexander to later issues, and they command a consistent premium within the series. Note: Any of the items illustrated on these pages that During his lifetime, Alexander conquered lands as distant as modern-day Afghanistan, and, at the height of his power, controlled much of the Western world. An unexpected error has occurred. This coin, which was struck in Mesambria c.250-175 B.C., illustrates some of the changes to the type by this time. Throughout history, few names resonate like that of Alexander the Great. Additionally, this tetradrachm from Mesambria, dating later still (to c.155-110 B.C. Over time, other kings and eventually powerful Greek city-states adopted the Heracles-Zeus type pioneered by Alexander III and made it their own. … Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, dolphin upward. A more recent collecting trend focuses not on the artistic or topical interest of the symbols, but instead on what those markings reveal about when a particular coin was struck. Tetradrachm Coins of Alexander by General Lysimachus. google_ad_slot = "6304280971"; Learn more >, See NGC Registry Instructions/FAQs, send us a message below or call 1-800-NGC-COIN. Most weight about 17 grams and measure about 28 to 32 mm diameter (about the diameter of a US $.50 but twice as thick). Modern cast forgery of Alexander III tetradrachm, 15.0g. Under Alexander the Great, the silver tetradrachm was the most widely-circulated coin. For purposes of comparison, a very similar symbol was employed on the Old Spanish Trail half-dollar commemorative of 1935. , Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection Head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin / AΛEΞANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre; Λ over torch in left field; star over YIΔ monogram (together resembling a flower) beneath chair. ALEXANDER the Great LIFETIME Tetradrachm RARE Salamis mint Silver Coin Herakles.