Nomos 7

KINGS of MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 17.09 g 6), struck under Nikokles, Paphos, c. 325-317. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress; hidden within the lion’s mane to left, ΝΙΚΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ. Rev. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ Zeus seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and, in his right, eagle standing right with closed wings; to left, monogram of ΠΑΦ; below throne, rose. Price 3119. Very rare and of historical importance. Lightly toned. Nearly extremely fine.

From the Mieza collection, and from the collection of R. Weimer, Triton IX, 10 January 2006, 793.

This piece formed part of a discrete issue of Alexander-type tetradrachms that bore the name of Nikokles in tiny letters along the border of the lion skin on the obverse (Price p. 388 and coins 3118-3123). Those pieces had to have been minted in the late 320s (they appear in a hoard buried c. 317) and they are a clear sign that Nikokles must have already wished to take on a leading role in Cypriote affairs in opposition to the overlordship of Alexander and his successors. As is well known, he was finally destroyed by Ptolemy I in 309.