Object Description
A fine Alexander the Great silver posthumous tetradrachm from Aspendos, Asia Minor featuring the profile bust of Herakles with a Seleukid anchor countermark behind his ear on the obverse. His youthful features are delicately rendered; the deep-set eye, prominent nose and slightly furrowed brow. He wears the Nemean lion-skin headdress, one of Herakles typical attributes, which imbues the Greek ruler with divine qualities. The reverse of the coin depicts the Greek god Zeus, seated to the left on a throne, holding an eagle in his right hand and sceptre in his left. The Greek inscription ΑΛΕΞΑΝ∆ΡΟΥ is written vertically to the right of the figure of Zeus. The legend, written in the genitive case, translates as, ALEXANDROY, meaning ‘[the coinage] of Alexander’.
The coin is encased in a custom-made modern stainless-steel bezel to the obverse, decorated with high quality faceted crystal. On the reverse there is a silver mount, hallmarked at the top, to stabilise the coin within its frame. The steel suspension loop is also incised with TP, in collaboration with Tresor Paris, the Hatton Garden jewellers.
Date: Circa 2nd Century BC