Help with an Alexander Tetradrachm

[Anthony B]

Hi I bought this coin a while back and have never been able to identify it.  The coin came from Afghanistan and looks like it has a date. (something 15)  The only Alexander coins I can find with a date come from Sidon.  The style does not match and the x in circle  and the owl eyes by the right shoulder.  Additionally the name Alexander is missing a letter.   Anyone got any ideas.  Thanks Anthony

[Akropolis]

I note also a blundered legend below Zeus on the reverse. Not a good sign.
Can you provide photos of the edges to see if there is a casting seam?
Also, provide the weight, as this could be important.
PeteB

[Lee S]

Not needed in my opinion... Look at Zeus's legs, they look like they were drawn by the team that does "Family Guy"... Modern for sure...

 Sorry...

[Anthony B]

here is the side picture I hope they help.  When I bought the coin I weighted it at 16.8 grams.   Anthony

[Akropolis]

The edge picture is quite fuzzy, but I "think" I see a casting seam. The weigth is a bit light, too.
The Afghanis have been making quite a few fakes in recent years....to sell to U.S. and other foreign troops and civilians, since I doubt that there are very many tourists these days.
PeteB

[Anthony B]

Thanks for your thoughts I'm a newbie at ancient coins and any input is a help.   thanks Anthony

[djmacdo]

I would not 100% sure it is a fake.  It reminds me of a couple of very early, very good Celtic imitations I have seen--and that in the left field looks rather like a Celtic shield.

[n.igma]

It is an eastern imitative probably from the region of Arachosia which is now southern Afghanistan and southwestern Pakistan.

It imitates the Babylonian series originally struck around 319-317 BC.  The symbol in the left field is a wheel.  The legend is blundered not just in the royal title, but also in the spelling of Alexander having dropped the delta from the spelling... clear signs of ancient imitative origin.  The weight is within norm for an imitative.

Here is another variant example sans royal title, but otherwise the same and probably of the same origin as suggested by the obverse die match. Note the retrograde N in the legend another pointer to an imitative origin.

UNCERTAIN EAST. Circa 320-280 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 17.12 g, 5h). In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; wheel in left field. Unpublished, but cf. Price P187-202 for wheel symbol on official issues from Babylon mint.

[n.igma]

Another example from the same dies as the preceding example.

Macedonian Kingdom. Alexander III, the Great. Silver Tetradrachm (16.7g), 336-323 BC. Contemporary imitation. Copying Babylon, ca. 323-317 BC, or slightly later. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress. Reverse: AΛEΧANΔPOY (N retrograde), Zeus seated left, holding eagle and scepter; in left field, wheel. Price -, but cf. under Philip III P187-202; Hersh -. Untoned. Very Fine.
The peculiar style, slightly low weight, and retrograde N in the legend all point to this coin be an unofficial issue rather than a unique variety in the name of Alexander.

[Callimachus]

I, too, would not be so quick to say this coin a modern counterfeit.

I do not see a casting seam along the edge.  What is perceived as a casting seam can be attributed to lighting

As to the weight:  16.8 gm is a bit on the low side, but well within the range of weights found on coins in the name of Alexander.   Study the tables on pages 41 - 45 of Price's book and you will see the weights range from 17.3+ gm down to less than 15.0 gm.  The heaviest coins seem to be in the periods of 336-25 BC and 325-17 BC.  After that there are more coins of lower weights.  So I would not worry about a weight of 16.8 gm.

[Lee S]

However the details on Anthony B's coin seem much softer and soapy than the imitation examples posted, and the patina/toning on the obverse looks suspect to me, so I suppose the question remains open.

  One more test you could do is give the obverse a wipe over with acetone, nail polish remover, or some similar light thinners ( petrol, lighter fluid etc.) . If the Toning is desolved then it is a sure sign of an artificial patina.

Best wishes,

Lee.

[Anthony B]

Thanks for all the info.  Anthony