History Coins
Alexander the Great
History and Coins for Sale
Alexander (the Great) III only reigned for 13 years, dying heirless, at the age of 33 years. During this time on the Macedonian throne he managed to conquer most of the known world, from Greece to India. He was born in 356BC to Philip II and took the throne in 336 on the assassination of his father. His coinage is vast and can be split into two periods:
During his reign, the so called lifetime issues (his father's coinage was used for a while during this period) were mint.
After his death, with no successor, the ruling void resulted in 4 decades of civil war and the coinage produced by the Diadochi (the generals taking power) has become known as the posthumous issues.
The diadochi consisted of Alexander's 4 generals, his friend Lysimachos, who took Thrace and most of Asia Minor; Cassander ruled Macedonia and Greece; Ptolemy I (the most successful) Egypt, Palestine, Cilicia, Petra and Cyprus and Seleucus I Nicator the remainder of Asia.
Of the denominations issued from 336 to 280BC, gold staters, silver tetradrachms, hemidrachms and drachms were the most prolific, from many mints, and the coinage of Lysimachos has become sought after by collectors for its artistry and the possibility of having the likeness of Alexander on its obverse. However, his lifetime issues seem to be valued more by collectors.
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In the Types and Style of Alexander III of Macedon, Kings of Thrace, Lysimachos AR Drachm, Lampsakos, 299-296BC
Obverse: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion kin headdress
Reverse: Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding sceptre; Pegasos forepart to left above lion's forepart, torch below throne, BASILEWS to right, LYSIMACHOS in exergue
18mm, 4.28g
Ref: Price L11, Muller 24, Thompson 35
Grade: VF+ a superb example although reverse is a little off centre
Prov: Ex Roma
£190 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask)
Kingdom of Macedon, Reign of Philip III Arrhidaios, AR Tetradrachm, Type of Alexander (the Great) III, Babylon, 323-317BC
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress
Rev: Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding eagle and sceptre, monograms in left field and below throne, legend ΦIΛIΠΠO[Y] to right. Legend below in exergue.
Ref: Price P189
17.15mm, 28g 3h
Grade: Very Fine
£470 (P&P free to UK, other locations please ask)
Kingdom of Macedon, Reign of Kassander, AR Tetradrachm, In the Name and Type of Alexander (the Great) III, Amphipolis, 315-294BC
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress
Rev: Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding eagle and sceptre, torch monogram in left field and bee below throne, ALEXANDROY legend to right.
Ref: Price 453
17.17mm, 27g 6h
Grade: Very Fine +
£500 (P&P free to UK, other locations please ask)
Kings of Macedon, Salamis, In the Name of Alexander III (the Great) Bronze AE, 336-323 BC
Obverse: Macedonian shield, facing head of Medusa (gorgoneion) in center, five double crescents and five groups of five pellets alternating around
Reverse: crested Macedonian officer's helmet facing, flanked by B - A (BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞAN∆POY - King Alexander) and caduceus control below
13mm, 2.01g
Grade: Very fine, good detail for type, slightly weak to right of reverse
Ref: Price 3158 (alternative example on Greek Copper)
£70 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask) #48
Lysimachos, Thrace, Lysimacheia, Bronze AE, 323-281BC
Obverse: Young male head (or Athena) in creasted Corintian helmet, right
Reverse: Legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ above and below lion leaping to right, caduceus, monogram and spear-head beneath.
Ref: S6819, cf Muller 81 for monogram only
3.53g, 18mm
Grade: AVF
£48 SOLD
Macedonia, Alexander III (the Great) Silver Tetradrachm, Lifetime Issue, 324-323BC,
Susa Mint
Obv: Head of Hercules, right, clad in lion's skin
Rev: BASILEWS ALEXANDROY legend, Zeus seated left holding eagle and sceptre, monograms in left field and under chair
17.11g, 25mm
Ref: Price 3825
Grade: VF+, rare, very few examples recorded in Coin Archives. Prov: Ex Roma
£570 SOLD
Kings of Thrace, Lysimachos, Silver Drachm, In Types of Alexander III, Teos, 301-297BC
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress
Reverse: Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding sceptre and eagle; [ΒΑΣΙΛEΩΣ] below, ΛΥΣIMAX[OY] to right, griffin seated with monogram below in left field.
Ref: Muller 34
17mm, 4.11g
Grade: VF+/EF, scarce type
£200 SOLD
Kings of Macedon, Antigonos I Monophthalmos, Silver Drachm, In the name and Type of Alexander III, Kolophon, 310-301BC
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress
Rev: Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding eagle and sceptre, monograms in left field and Φ below throne, legend ALEXANDROY to right.
Ref: Price P1823
17mm, 4.18g
Grade: Very Fine+
£160 SOLD
Macedonia, Alexander III, AE Dichalkon, Amphipolis, Posthumous Issue, c320-317 BC
Obverse: Head of Herakles, right, wearing lionskin headdress
Reverse: Eagle standing right on keraunos (thunderbolt), head turned to left, ΑΛΕΞΑ-ΝΔΡΟΥ in field
Grade: Very fine example of this rarely seen coin
16.5mm, 4.31g
Ref: SNG Cop 1025
Prov: Sold through Spink on two occasions
£120 SOLD
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