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Rare Alexander the Great Silver Drachm: Antigonus type browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Ancient World:Greek: Pre AD 1000: item # 738014
Apolonia Ancient Art 290 Fillmore St. #D Denver, CO. 80206 303-321-7351 gallery Guest Book $875.00 |
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| This rare coin is a silver drachm that was minted shortly after the life time of Alexander the Great, circa 336-323 B.C. This coin was minted circa 310-297 B.C., and shows on the obverse, Alexander the Great in a lion's skin headdress. The reverse shows a seated Zeus holding an eagle, a N symbol below the throne, and the forepart of Pegasus, which is another symbol that is seen in front of the knee of the seated Zeus. This Pegasus symbol became the principle civic badge of Lampsacus and was subsequently seen on the royal coinage of Lysimachus circa 297 B.C. The coin offered here is also attributed to the mint of Lampsacus by Martin Price in "The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus", British Museum Catalog, London 1991, page 209, coin no.1382a. Price speculates that this coin type, with the Pegasus forepart symbol, was first minted circa 310-297 B.C. as an "alliance coinage" for Antigonus the One-Eyed. Antigonus was a general of Alexander the Great and was defeated and killed at Ipsus, circa 301 B.C., by the combined forces of Seleucus, Ptolemy, Cassander, and Lysimachus. Lysimachus, who also served under Alexander, may have minted the coin offered here after the battle of Ipsus circa 301 B.C. If this was in fact the case, the coinage with the Pegasus forepart symbol may have been Lysimachus' first coinage before his regal coinage was minted circa 297 B.C. Lysimachus may also have simply continued on with the coinage of Antigonus, and adopted the forepart of the Pegasus symbol as his own regal badge. What is for certain is that this coin was minted as pay for an army, as the drachm was the preferred denomination of pay during the Hellenistic period. The Alexander the Great type seen here, was minted before Lysimachus placed his own name on his regal coinage, as he was not secure enough to declare himself as king as were the other successors of Alexander the Great. This coin is a rare transitional type that paved the way for the successors of Alexander the Great to secure their own dynastic ambitions. This coin weighs 4.3 gms, is approximately 18 mm in diameter, and is in superb to mint state condition. I certify that this coin is authentic as to date, culture, and condition: | |||||
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