MESAMBRIA SILVER ALEXANDER TYPE TETRADRACHM – PUBLISHED AND ILLUSTRATED IN KARAYOTOV’S DIE STUDY OF THE MINT – XF NGC GRADED GREEK THRACE COIN (Inv. 8984)

$1,800.00

8984. THRACE. MESAMBRIA. CIVIC ISSUE IN THE NAME AND TYPES OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT, ca. 175–125 BC.
Silver Tetradrachm of Alexander type, 16.53 g, 30 mm.
Obv. Head of young Heracles right in lion skin headdress. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and scepter, Corinthian helmet right above ΔA monogram in left field, ΠPO monogram below throne.
Price 1062; Karayotov, Coinage of Mesambria, 516 (O635/R211), this coin published and illustrated.
Ex Stack’s Bowers Ponterio 185, 8/12/2014, lot 30052 = Coin Galleries, 4/14/1993, lot 220.
NGC graded XF, Strike 5/5, Surface 2/5, “graffito,” with a pleasing dark gray cabinet patina.

The graffito on the reverse of this coin is exceptional as it names a certain Apollonius, likely the owner of this piece at some time during its circulating life. It is clearly engraved in reverse upper field on two lines: AΠOΛΛO–NIOY (“belonging to Apollonius).