Few coins in history carry the weight of empire like the silver tetradrachms struck in the name of Alexander III.
Issued in the years immediately following Alexander’s death, this early posthumous AR tetradrachm preserves the iconography that unified the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen. The obverse depicts Heracles, rendered with the features of Alexander himself, wearing the lion skin—an unmistakable statement of divine strength and heroic legitimacy. The reverse shows Zeus enthroned, ruler of gods and men, reinforcing Alexander’s claim to universal kingship.
These coins were not commemorative. They were the currency of conquest, struck from silver captured across Persia and carried from Greece to Egypt, Babylon, and beyond. Even in Fine condition, the historical gravity is undiminished: this is money that once moved with armies, paid mercenaries, and fueled the machinery of empire.
Ruler: Alexander III “the Great”
Kingdom: Macedon
Date: Early posthumous issue, 336–323 BC
Denomination: AR Tetradrachm
Type: Heracles / Zeus enthroned
Grade: Fine
While higher-grade examples may impress the eye, coins like this impress the mind. Surviving circulation wear speaks to genuine ancient use, connecting the holder directly to the world Alexander reshaped.
An essential artifact for collectors of Greek history, imperial iconography, or coins that truly changed the course of civilization.
Few coins in history carry the weight of empire like the silver tetradrachms struck in the name of Alexander III.
Issued in the years immediately following Alexander’s death, this early posthumous AR tetradrachm preserves the iconography that unified the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen. The obverse depicts Heracles, rendered with the features of Alexander himself, wearing the lion skin—an unmistakable statement of divine strength and heroic legitimacy. The reverse shows Zeus enthroned, ruler of gods and men, reinforcing Alexander’s claim to universal kingship.
These coins were not commemorative. They were the currency of conquest, struck from silver captured across Persia and carried from Greece to Egypt, Babylon, and beyond. Even in Fine condition, the historical gravity is undiminished: this is money that once moved with armies, paid mercenaries, and fueled the machinery of empire.
Ruler: Alexander III “the Great”
Kingdom: Macedon
Date: Early posthumous issue, 336–323 BC
Denomination: AR Tetradrachm
Type: Heracles / Zeus enthroned
Grade: Fine
While higher-grade examples may impress the eye, coins like this impress the mind. Surviving circulation wear speaks to genuine ancient use, connecting the holder directly to the world Alexander reshaped.
An essential artifact for collectors of Greek history, imperial iconography, or coins that truly changed the course of civilization.
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