Object Description
A very rare, posthumous Alexander the Great silver tetradrachm featuring the name and types of Alexander. On the obverse, Herakles is depicted. His youthful features are delicately rendered; the deep-set eye, prominent nose and slightly furrowed brow still retain excellent definition. 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’. There is a mintmark in the field, left side underneath the eagle. It is described as a combined H, A and P. The coin was minted at a Southern Asia Minor mint, but which one is still unknown. This is a rare example, with only a handful of known examples.
Date: Circa 320 – 280 BC