Obolos 15

KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’, 336-323 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 28.5 mm, 17.01 g, 12 h), struck either under Lysimachos or slightly later, Smyrna, circa 287-282 or 280-275. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion's skin headdress. Rev. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ Zeus seated left on high-backed throne, holding eagle in his right hand and scepter in his left; to left, Φ and turreted head of the Tyche of Smyrna to right. Price 2246 (same dies as the illustrated example). Very rare, one of only a few known examples. Good very fine.

This extremely rare series of Alexander-type tetradrachms from Smyrna is usually dated between 280 and 275 BC, but since it shares the same control marks as the tetradrachms that Lysimachos struck there between 287 and 282 (Thompson 237), an earlier date is also possible.