Alexander III "the Great" Arados tetradrachm - genuine?

[Emilio Siculo]

Dear all,

I recently bought the Alexander III tetradrachm attached below.

I attributed it as follow:

Arados mint, 328-320 B.C., Price 3332, Muller 1370, SNG Cop 802, 17.1g, 11h die axis.
Obverse notes: the coin was deeply punched to inspect its silver content.
Reverse notes: caduceus in the left field; "AR" monogram under the throne.
Other notes: the coin was bent as a result of the punch; the coin thickness is uneven.

Do you gauge the coin as authentic?
Do you confirm the attribution above?
Can we date more exactly the coin at hand within the 328-320 B.C. period in order to understand whether it is an Alexander lifetime issue (or not)?

Any comment appreciated
Thanks a lot
Best regards
ES

[Akropolis]

Authentic and Aradus.
PeteB

[rover1.3]

Do you gauge the coin as authentic?
Do you confirm the attribution above?
Can we date more exactly the coin at hand within the 328-320 B.C. period in order to understand whether it is an Alexander lifetime issue (or not)?

This series of AR tetradrachms ( AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, Α over Ρ under throne, Caduceus, Price 3332, Duyrat 550 - 862 ) is placed in Group IV, Series 11 (the last series of the group),
as possibly lifetime c. 324/23 - c. 320 BC by Frederique Duyrat in his work ARADOS HELLÉNISTIQUE-Étude historique et monétaire, Beyrouth 2005.
Duyrat suggests " the Caduceus series introduced at the time of Alexander's death ".
Weight, axis are normal for the issue, the style of your example is consistent with the style of the 36 specimens of the series illustrated in Duyrat's plates.

Best regards,

rover

[Lloyd Taylor]

Can we date more exactly the coin at hand within the 328-320 B.C. period in order to understand whether it is an Alexander lifetime issue (or not)?

Precise dating is possible with this emission:

Your coin is an example of Price 3332 and is an early posthumous issue. This is certain, because an example of the type is known with an obverse die shared with Price P165 in the name of Philip III.   Refer to the extract of Price's Aradus text (jpeg copy below) for reference to this obverse die match. The die match places this emission (Price 3332) after the ascension of Philip III Arrhidaios to the throne i.e. after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC.


This story takes a few more twists and turns since Price's publication.  P165 attributed to Marathus by Price, was moved to Aradus by Houghton, thence to Babylonia Uncertain Mint 6A by Houghton and Lorber Seleucid Coins so the current attribution of the Philip III obverse die match referred to by Price is Price P165 = SC Ad39.1 = the first emission from Babylonia Uncertain Mint 6A.  Now the obverse die used for the first coin in this emission was transported by Seleukos from Arados to Babylonia after the settlement of Triparadesios in July 320 BC and is in fact the same obverse die referenced by Price in connection with Price 3332.


Thus this Arados Alexander emission Price 3332 can be dated to between the death of Alexander the Great (June 323 BC) and the settlement of Triparadesios (July 320 BC) probably closer the later date than the former date.


You can find more info on this die match and the die travels on two examples of P165 posted in my gallery:
[DEAD LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]
[DEAD LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]
which include some details of other previously undocumented obverse die matches which reinforce the story and dating.

[Emilio Siculo]

Thanks so much for your very interesting answers
ES