Alexander III — Drachm, Zeus Seated, Sardes

Struck at Sardes, 336–323 BC, a lifetime drachm of Alexander III in the types that his mints across the empire shared: the head of Herakles in the lion-skin headdress, the hero the Macedonian royal house claimed as its ancestor, with Zeus enthroned on the reverse. Sardes in Lydia was one of the Asia Minor mints that struck this coinage while Alexander was alive, and this piece shows the dies at their best, the lion's mane and Herakles's features sharp and the reverse fully on the flan.

ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, "of Alexander", stands to the right of Zeus, who sits on a high-backed throne facing left, an eagle perched on his outstretched right hand and a long sceptre in his left. A torch stands in the left field and a monogram sits beneath the throne, the control marks that tie the issue to Sardes.

Attribution: Alexander III drachm, Sardes mint; torch in left field, monogram below throneMint: SardesWeight: 4.13 gDiameter: 14.6 mmCatalogued in the NumisLens cabinet — NL-9XH2Q-03H5Z

Combined shipping is available — buy more than one coin and pay a single shipping charge.Attribution is believed to be correct, but ancient coin attributions can vary and the catalogue reference may be subject to revision.