RFA: Identification of AtG Silver tetradrachm

[RMB]

27 JUL 12
Greetings Board of Experts:

About 20-years ago, I purchased a coin from an antiques dealer in NYC that was reported to be a silver tetradrachm.  I put the coin away in a box and never gave it a second thought till today when a friend of the family was showing me his Morgan Silver Dollar collection.  I dug the coin out and tried to find an exact copy on the Internet to see what the value might be.  Came up with nothing that matched 1:1.

This coin is slightly smaller than a US dime, is near pure silver (had it tested), and slightly concave.  The thickness of the coin is not uniform, but again, about the thickness of a dime.  I have no ability to weigh the coin as my kitchen scale will not reach those increments.

The coin has some odd markings - specifically, two feathers or leaves on the reverse.  I read that these could be "minting" marks - but again, I can't find anything that looks similar.

Looking forward to any assistance you can provide.  If a fake, I'm going to either melt down (so no one else is tricked) or put on my desk in plastic casket to remind me to remain within my limitations.  If legitimate - well, I'll just be amazed.

Thanks,
RMB

[Steve E]

Hello,
Welcome to Forvm Ancient Coins!

I believe this is authentic! And would be described as;

Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander III, The Great, 336 -323 B.C.

Silver drachm, Price 1753, Colophon mint, c. 323 - 319 B.C. (At the end of or just after his reign); obverse Herakles' head right, clad in Nemean lion scalp headdress tied at neck; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOY, Zeus enthroned left, eagle in right, corn-grain under throne, spearhead in right field.

"Price" is a reference book by Martin J. Price " The Coinage In The Name Of Alexander The Great and Phillip Arrhidaeus"

Colophon is a Greek mint city in asia minor, NW of Ephesus. One of the most productive drachm mints of Alexander coinage.

Being slightly smaller than a dime would make it a drachm. A tetradrachm (4 drachms) would be slightly larger than a quarter.

I welcome other opinions!

~Steve
 

[rover1.3]

Please post better (bigger/clearer) photos of both sides and give size and weight.

Clear photos, size and weight are basic necessary information, I personally can't help you without this information.

[Steve E]

This coin is slightly smaller than a US dime, is near pure silver (had it tested), and slightly concave.  The thickness of the coin is not uniform, but again, about the thickness of a dime.  I have no ability to weigh the coin as my kitchen scale will not reach those increments.

Please post better (bigger/clearer) photos of both sides and give size and weight.

Clear photos, size and weight are basic necessary information, I personally can't help you without this information.

You can take it to a jeweler or coin dealer for accurate measurements.

It should weigh around 4 grams and be approx. 16 mm in diameter.

~Steve

[RMB]

Rover / Steve:

Per your request, I'm trying to post some additional photos - but having trouble uploading to the board.  Seems that if I load a document (less than size maximum) and press send - I get an error message saying that my document took too long to upload.  When I try to repost (make it even smaller), I get a message that this note has alredy been posted.  When I try to modify the posting - it isn't there.  Sure it's all on my end...

Anyway, last try.  If this doesn't work - I still want everyone on the board to know that I really appreciate and value the time they have spent trying to help me out on this matter.  You coin folks are really a kind bunch.

The coin weighs 4 g and is between 16-17mm (best guess using my caliber and poor eyesight).

Thanks.

[rover1.3]

I don't like it and I have moved it to Authentication, Fakes and Frauds board for further investigation.
The new photos are still not good enough for me to be entirely certain, but I lean towards modern.