This
large silver ancient Greek tetradrachm dates back over 2300 years to
the era of Alexander the Great, 19th king of the Kingdom of Macedonia
from 336 - 323 BCE. This is widely considered to be one of the most
iconic and sought after of all ancient coins. This exceptional
example is one of the finest and highest condition coins to have
survived from this era, exhibiting intricate detail in very close to
"as struck" condition. The coin comes with a certificate of
authenticity and historical information page.
The
obverse of this coin features an image of Herakles (or Hercules as
the Romans called him) wearing a headdress made of a lion skin. The
reverse features an image of the supreme god, Zeus, who was the
father of Herakles. Zeus sits on his throne holding a scepter and
eagle.
Alexander
was the son of Philip II, king of Macedon, who provided Alexander
with the foundation to build a vast empire on an unprecedented scale.
Alexander was only 20 years old when he became king. However, he had
received military training all his life at the side of his father,
and had been tutored in Greek classical learning by Aristotle, one of
the greatest philosophers of the time.
Alexander's
greatest legacy to numismatics was his practice of paying his
soldiers in cash, which enabled the spread of Macedonian coinage and
culture throughout the western world. The silver tetradrachm was the
largest regularly circulating unit of currency in Alexander's empire,
and represented a full week's salary for the average
soldier.
Alexander
met an unexpected and mysterious death in 323 BC. At the time of his
death, Alexander was just 32 years old. Whether his death was from
fever or poisoning, Alexander left a legacy which transformed the
world. In addition to uniting most of the western world and spreading
Greek culture and knowledge, Alexander established the first uniform
monetary system made possible relatively easy trade between distant
places.