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Portraits of Alexander the Great


kirispupis

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Recently, I acquired this coin primarily for its beautiful portrait of Alexander the Great, even though it was minted nearly 600 years after his death.

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Macedon, Koinon of Macedon
Pseudo-autonomous issue 238-244 CE
Æ 25mm, 13,95g
AΛEΞANΔPOV, diademed head of Alexander III of Macedon right /
KOINON MAKEΔONΩN B NE, table with two prize urns; star below
BMC 133-4; AMG III 696

 

I also have these two (which I've shared numerous times before) closer to his lifetime.

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Lysimachos
287/281 BCE
Perinthos 17.08g
Kopf des vergöttlichten Alexander / Athena mit Nike-Statuette auf Cippus und Schild, Beiz. Monogramm und 2 gegenläufige Pferdeprotomen.
Thompson in Festschr. Robinson (1968), -, vgl. 256 HGC 1750q; Thompson, Armenak-Hoard (=ANS MN 31, 198 - Müller, Lysimachus - Arnold-Biucchi in Festschr. Price (1998) Unpublished variant(?)

 

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Ptolemy I
311-305 BCE
Alexandria
27.5 mm 14.6g 1h
Avers : Buste cornu et diadémé d'Alexandre le Grand sous les traits de Zeus-Ammon à droite, coiffé de la dépouille d'éléphant avec l'égide.
Revers : Athéna Promachos ou Alkidemos marchant à droite, brandissant une javeline de la main droite et tenant un bouclier de la gauche ; dans le champ à gauche, un casque corinthien, un monogramme et un aigle sur un foudre tourné à droite.
Sv.162 (37 ex) - Cop.29 - GC.7750 var. - BMC.- - MP.6
Ex Robert J. Myers Auction 12, lot 291 (December 4, 1975)

 

Feel free to add your portraits of Alexander!

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My favorite portrait of Alexander is this deified portrait, on a Lysimachos drachm. 

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18 mm, 4,2 g.
Kings of Thrace. Lysimachos 305-281 BC. AR drachm. Ephesos.
Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing horn of Ammon / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY, Athena seated left on the throne, holding Nike, crowning the king's name, in her right hand and leaning with her left arm on shield decorated with lion's head, transverse spear with point below, lyre to the inner left field, A under the throne.
Thompson 174; Müller 355.

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17 minutes ago, Ryro said:

Great new coin of ATG! Here are a few of mine featuring the great one...

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Nice collection! But why is Alexander so sad on the last coin? Did he fail to win any of the prizes?

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Macedonian Kingdom, Reign of Alexander III

336-323 BC
AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 17.01g)
O: Head of Alexander as Herakles right, clad in lion's skin headdress.
R: Zeus seated left on backless throne, holding eagle and sceptre, his legs parallel; eagle's head facing left in field to left, AΛEΞANΔPOY behind.
Amphipolis mint (lifetime issue).
Price 51; Sear 6713v; C. 4952
ex Jack H. Beymer

Alex_III_tet.jpeg~3.jpg

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Posted · Supporter

Cool coin, but the answer is, isn't. 

Here's a coin from Alexander's grandfather... of Alexander... as Herakles... before he was born?

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Amyntas III (393-369 BCE). Aigai or Pella. 3.40g, 16mm.

Obv: Head of Herakles right wearing lion skin.

Rev: Eagle standing right, devouring serpent held in its talons.

SNG ANS 100-109.

 

The Argead line claimed descent from Herakles and made loads of coins showing this. 

From everything I've read, the claim that Alexander's coins with Herakles being him as the brute are more than likely a ploy to sell coins. 

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KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the great’. CNG 3/31/2021. 336-323 B.C. AR Drachm (16mm, 4.3 g. 1 h). Sardes mint. Struck under Menander, circa 324/3 B.C. Obv. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin. Rev. Zeus Aetophoros seated left; monogram in left field, rose below throne. Price 2553; ADM I Series IX. Light golden tone over lustrous surfaces. EF.

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I also posted these recently but here they go again! I'm borrowing the pictures from the sellers but will try to make a rig to take my own photos later on.

 

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Antigonos I Monophthalmus

AR Tetradrachm, Susa, 316-311 BCE, 16.79 g, 26 mm, 9h

Obv: Head of beardless Heracles right wearing lion skin headdress

Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated on stool-throne left, eagle on outstretched right hand, sceptre in left hand, Symbols (Left Field): wreath, (Beneath Throne): ΑΙ, Symbol (Beneath Throne): monogram

Price 3857

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Macedon, Kassander

AR Tetradrachm, Amphipolis, 305-297 BCE., 17.14g, 27.00 mm. 9h.

Obv. Head of beardless Heracles right wearing lion skin headdress.

Rev. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated on stool-throne left, eagle on outstretched right hand, scepter in left hand. Symbols (Left Field): Λ, (Left Field): torch, (Beneath Throne): monogram

Price 484

Edited by Spargrodan
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