Thrace, Mesembria Issue Silver Tetradrachm Alexander the Great Design, c. 275–63 BCE, Superb "About as Struck" Condition

This original ancient Greek silver tetradrachm coin dates back over 2,000 years to the era following Alexander the Great, 19th King of Macedonia. While Alexander ruled from 356 to 323 BCE, he quickly became associated with the strength and stability of the vastly expanded Greek empire. With a huge army and rapid expansion of trade across the empire, numerous coins were issued during the life of Alexander, and these issues became well recognized and respected.  

Following the death of Alexander in 323 BCE, coinage continued to be issued in the same style and with the same imagery as the original coins struck during Alexander's lifetime. This high-quality silver Alexander the Great design coin was struck at the Mesembrian mint for use in Mesembria and Thrace, and would have also been used over a wide region of Europe and beyond for trade between 275 to 63 BCE.  

The Mesembrian mint issues are especially interesting, with intricate detailing particularly in the lion headdress appearing on the head of Alexander as Herakles.  This superb tetradrachm coin is one of the finest surviving examples from this era, in nearly "as struck" condition.  

The obverse of this coin features an image of Herakles (or Hercules as the Romans called him) wearing a headdress made of a lion skin. The reverse features an image of the supreme god, Zeus, who was the father of Herakles. Zeus sits on his throne holding a sceptre and an eagle.

Alexander the Great
Alexander was the son of Philip II, king of Macedon, who provided Alexander with the foundation to build a vast empire on an unprecedented scale. Alexander was only 20 years old when he became king. However, he had received military training all his life at the side of his father, and had been tutored in Greek classical learning by Aristotle, one of the greatest philosophers of the time. 

Alexander's greatest legacy to numismatics was his practice of paying his soldiers in cash, which enabled the spread of Macedonian coinage and culture throughout the Western world. The silver tetradrachm was the largest regularly circulating unit of currency in Alexander's empire, and represented a full week's salary for the average soldier.

Alexander met an unexpected and mysterious death in 323 BCE. At the time of his death, Alexander was just 32 years old. Whether his death was from fever or poisoning, Alexander left a legacy which transformed the world. In addition to uniting most of the Western world and spreading Greek culture and knowledge, Alexander established the first uniform monetary system, which made relatively easy trade between distant places possible.
    
Includes:  
• Thrace, Mesembria Silver Tetradrachm, Alexander the Great, 275-63 BCE, "About as Struck" Condition