Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Triton XXIV 19-20 Jan 2021
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KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III 'the Great'. 336-323 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 14.33 g, 9h). "Light Thraco-Macedonian" standard. Uncertain mint in Macedon. Struck circa 336-334 BC(?). Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath / AΛEΞAN-ΔPOY, eagle, with closed wings, standing right, head left, on thunderbolt; club to left, satrapal headdress to right. Price 143; Wartenberg 4 = Pegan 5 = Traité IV 909, pl. CCCXI, 17 = MG 19, pl. D, 8 (same obv. die); Wartenberg 5 = Pegan 4 = SNG Saroglos 183 = J. Hirsch XXV, lot 504 = Egger XL [Prowe], lot 575. Toned, a few minor marks. VF. Extremely rare, one of only three known with club symbol, only the BN example (Pegan 5) in Pella, only the Saroglos coin in the ANS photofile, none in CoinArchives, nor the Thessaly, 1992 hoard (Wartenberg). It is also only one of nine Alexander-Eagle tetradrachms known, of which seven are in public collections.
The rare Alexander Eagle tetradrachms are possibly the earliest coinage in the name of Alexander, struck on the same weight standard as the tetradrachms of his father, Philip II. These coins are unrelated to the later eagle type drachms, which were struck on the Attic standard. The obverse type continues the head of Zeus that was the standard type on his father's tetradrachms, while the reverse features an eagle with folded wings, looking back, a type that had been used on reverses of coins issued by Philip's predecessors, Amyntas III and Perdikkas III. This coinage was first reviewed by Pegan, who placed them in Macedon at the beginning of Alexander's reign. Based on his understanding of the relative chronology of the issues of Alexander's early reign, Price rejected Pegan's analysis, and placed these later in the reign. Unfortunately, Price could not persuasively argue for their placement at any mint, nor at any time of issue; he admits that their listing alongside the eagle drachms was merely "for convenience." In his 2003 survey of Alexander's coinage and finances, Le Rider reevaluated the evidence, and though he admits it is not conclusive, the evidence suggests that placing them at the beginning of Alexander's reign is probably correct (Le Rider, Alexander, pp. 32–7).
The rare Alexander Eagle tetradrachms are possibly the earliest coinage in the name of Alexander, struck on the same weight standard as the tetradrachms of his father, Philip II. These coins are unrelated to the later eagle type drachms, which were struck on the Attic standard. The obverse type continues the head of Zeus that was the standard type on his father's tetradrachms, while the reverse features an eagle with folded wings, looking back, a type that had been used on reverses of coins issued by Philip's predecessors, Amyntas III and Perdikkas III. This coinage was first reviewed by Pegan, who placed them in Macedon at the beginning of Alexander's reign. Based on his understanding of the relative chronology of the issues of Alexander's early reign, Price rejected Pegan's analysis, and placed these later in the reign. Unfortunately, Price could not persuasively argue for their placement at any mint, nor at any time of issue; he admits that their listing alongside the eagle drachms was merely "for convenience." In his 2003 survey of Alexander's coinage and finances, Le Rider reevaluated the evidence, and though he admits it is not conclusive, the evidence suggests that placing them at the beginning of Alexander's reign is probably correct (Le Rider, Alexander, pp. 32–7).