Rare Coins

Alexander the Great's Father, Phillip.

Philip II, of Macedon;- 359-336 BC.

Kingdom of Macedon. Philip II, 359-336 BC. AR Tetradrachm (14.38 g) minted posthumously at Amphipolis, c. 323-315 BC. Laureate head right of Zeus. Reverse: Youth on horseback right, holding palm; under horse, grain and letter to right. Le Rider Amphipolis III, plate 46, 3. Handsome obverse rendering. Extremely Fine. .  ? $500

Alexander The Great

Alexander The Great;-  Greek. Kingdom of Macedon, Alexander III, The Great (336-323 BC), Tetradrachm of Amphipolis. Alexander III (356 - 323 BCE) was tutored by Aristotle about greek culture and learning.  He was also ambitious,  daring commander and master of military strategy. In 338 BCE at the age of seventeen, he won a decisive battle at Cheronea to defeat  Athenians and their allies showing brilliance of his leadership.  In 336 BCE at the age of twenty one, he succeeded his father as the King of the Greek Empire.  He invaded and conquered Persian Empire by 331 BCE to fulfill his father's dream of freeing Ionian Greeks from Persian domination. He conquered Egypt in 332 BCE and marched across asia to the north east of India. He conquered a king ruling that part of India in 326 BCE. He reluctantly turned back from the pressure of his solders longing to go back to their homeland. He died in Babylon in 323 BCE at the age of thirty two from an infection and possibly typhoid fever resulting from a chest wound received in a battle.

Alexander not only followed his father's designs of coinage but also introduced newly designed coins. Alexander issued massive number of coins all through his brief reign to facilitate the campaign of war. Coins in his name were issued even after his death by Hellenistic Kingdoms that were established in his former empire.

The conquests of Alexander III of Macedon, known as ‘Alexander the Great’, changed the world for ever. This coin has his image on it, even though it was minted by one
of his successors. Following his death in 323 BC Alexander’s generals divided his vast empire between themselves at two conferences at Babylon (in 323 BC) and Triparadeisus (in 321 BC) and began to squabble over his legacy. In the period of turmoil that followed, known as the Successor Wars, the image of the deified Alexander played an important part, as his Successors tried to cast themselves as his heir. This was part of an attempt to claim legitimacy of rule through association with Alexander, even though the Successors were not blood-relatives of the Argead dynasty (Alexander’s family). Macedonian Coin . Alexander III The Great 336/323BC - Macedonia;- Herakles facing right, clad in lionskin headdress, PHI behind head;- REV - ALEXANDROU with club (f/R) above, bowcase (f/L) below. In fine collectable condition. Very Rare.  $350

VESPASIAN. 69-79 AD. Æ Sestertius

VESPASIAN. 69-79 AD. Æ Sestertius (26.26 gm). "Judaea Capta" issue. Struck ;-  Fine collectable condition;- $750

      71 AD. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right 

      IVDAEA CAPTA, S C across field, Vespasian AE Sestertius. 71 AD. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right / MARS VICTOR S-C, Mars advancing left, holding Victory and trophy. with ROMA to the left of figure of Mars.  Vespasian, 1 July 69 - 24 June 79 A.D. 

After a successful campaign in Judaea (which he left to his son Titus to finish), Flavius  Vespasianus was declared emperor by his troops at Alexandria in 69 A.D. Upon the defeat of Vitellius by the Danubian legions, Vespasian went to Rome and consolidated his power. He built the Colosseum and other important public works. Vespasian was popular, being both down to earth and possessed of great wit. He was responsible for the economic and military recovery of Rome, and is justly regarded as one of the greatest Roman emperors.