Summary
A silver drachm coin issued in the Empire of Alexander the Great in the period 336-323 BC
Mint: not recorded
Obverse Description
Head of Herakles wearing lion's skin right
Reverse Description
Zeus seated facing left on throne holding eagle in extended right hand and sceptre in left. Griffin in field left
Edge Description
Plain
Significance
Alexander III, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of Macedonia. Born in Pella in 356 BC, he was tutored by Aristotle until the age of 16. By the age of 30, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Greece to India. He had a uniform coinage struck throughout his empire, the different mints being indicated by markings on the coin reverses.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976
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Date Issued
336-323 BC
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Issued By
King Alexander III the Great, Macedonia, Ancient Greek States, 336-323 BC
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Previous Collection
Eugene von Guerard, pre 1880
Listed in Eugene von Guerard's catalogue, vol.1, p.16. The coin was found in the NGV safe during McArthur Bequest incorporation, about 1904. Note: This is probably not the original coin - von Guerard notes a Griffin for which he paid 10 shillings, but this piece is holed and plugged which does not reflect likely quality of the piece von Guerard purchased. It is perhaps a substitute in the 1960s theft. -
Denomination
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Series
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Material
Silver
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
18 mm (Outside Diameter), 3.781 g (Weight)
Holed and plugged
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Shape
Ovoid
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References
[Catalogue] Pullin, Ruth. 2011. Nature Revealed: Eugene von Guerard.
