A question for the Alexander specialists

[Ursus]

I won this Alexander tetradrachm on a lowball bid but from a reputable auction house. Diameter is 25mm, weight 17.21g.

The seller attributed it to the Amphipolis mint (Price 99) and interpreted the partial control mark as a caduceus. Now, the portrait style and some reverse details (no baseline, position of Zeus' legs, raised footrest, no crossbar on the throne) make me doubtful about this being coin being struck at Amphipolis.

I know that some of you guys specialize in Alexander the Great coins. Therefore: Anyone got an idea which mint my new coins is from?

 

[AETHER]

Similar style to the Soli mint which also used a caduceus in the left field. Price 3190 perhaps? I only seen one example with uncrossed legs tho.

Similar to Pella, price 247 as well.

 

Edit; prob Pella mint, price 247. Looking at the legs and style. Range 325-315 BC

Example; http://numismatics.org/collection/1944.100.29534

I'm just speculating,not an expert! nice coin either way.

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by AETHER

[Ursus]

Thanks, @AETHER! That pointed me into the right direction. After some more sleuthing, I think that I now have found it.

The object in the left field of my coin appears to be a prow, not a caduceus, and my coin therefore is Price 3097, listed for Amathos on Cyprus in 323–320 BCE, though Hersh reattributed it to Soli. That also fits the portrait and reverse style much better than Amphipolis.

Here are two examples from the ANS for comparison

Edited September 20, 2023 by Ursus

[Ursus]

Also, thanks to acsearch, I just found a reverse die match to Gorny&Mosch 263, lot 3149:

And an obverse die match to CNG, mail bid sale 72, lot 376:

 

Both coins with die links are Price 3097. I guess that solves the question.

[AETHER]

Perfect @Ursus!

Great looking coin and style from a mint you don't see a lot! (At least I don't)

[kapphnwn]

Excellent work. As I was preoccupied with CNG I  had less time trying to assess @Ursus coin. I thought it might be a prow but was still looking in the coins of Asia Minor. The foreleg reverted with the wide stance is a signature style from some of the mints in that area. It is good to see that you have solved the mystery.

[Ursus]

15 hours ago, kapphnwn said:

Excellent work. As I was preoccupied with CNG I  had less time trying to assess @Ursus coin. I thought it might be a prow but was still looking in the coins of Asia Minor. The foreleg reverted with the wide stance is a signature style from some of the mints in that area. It is good to see that you have solved the mystery.

Thanks – that's interesting and might well indicate what preexisting models the Cypriot engravers copied when they started striking Alexander tetradrachms.

As to the control mark, I did some light reading yesterday. There is an article by James A. Schell (Iconography of the Control Marks in the Alexander Issues of Soli, Cyprus. In: American Journal of Numismatics 10 (1998), 29-35) on this topic. Schell argues that the mark depicts a detached naval ram and not a full prow. Comparing the control mark to this Hellenistic naval ram now in the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum at Mainz, it seems to me that he has a point:

[Edessa]

Hmmm, perhaps returning victorious with the Ram of an enemy vessel had a special significance? Such as, you "wrestled" with the enemy and won.

[Phil Anthos]

I think I've read that it may have been kept as a trophy, but I can't remember where.

Edit;  might this be akin to taking your vanquished enemies armor, as in the Iliad?

~ Peter 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Phil Anthos