How to Identify the Alexander the Great Tetradrachm

What Is the Coin

The Alexander tetradrachm is a silver coin type first struck during the reign of Alexander the Great (336-323 BC) and continued by various mints across his empire and successor kingdoms for well over a century after his death. Because so many mints across the Mediterranean and Near East produced this type, it survives in enormous stylistic and monogram variety.

Obverse Design

The obverse shows the head of the hero-god Herakles facing right, wearing the scalp and mane of the Nemean lion as a headdress, a reference to one of Herakles's legendary labors. No royal portrait or lettering appears on this side.

Reverse Design

The reverse depicts Zeus Aetophoros ("eagle-bearing Zeus") seated on a throne, facing left, holding an eagle in his extended right hand and a long scepter in his left. The Greek legend "ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ" ("of Alexander") runs vertically or around the design, and small letters, monograms, or symbols in the field identify the specific mint and issuing official.

Size, Weight, Metal & Edge

The coin is struck in silver, weighs approximately 17.2 g, and measures roughly 24-27 mm in diameter, with no edge design since it is hand-struck on a cast blank.

Mint Marks and Where to Find Them

Unlike the coin's central designs, which stayed relatively consistent, the small control marks, monograms, and symbols placed in the field beside Zeus's throne or under his seat vary enormously between mints and issues; these marks are the primary tool numismatists use to attribute a given tetradrachm to a specific city or period.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

Because production continued long after Alexander's death (known as "posthumous" issues) under various Hellenistic rulers and cities, a coin bearing this design does not necessarily date to Alexander's own lifetime. Style of engraving, the specific field symbols, and known chronological sequences established by scholars are used to narrow down when and where a given example was struck. The design should also not be confused with tetradrachms of other Hellenistic rulers, who typically replaced Herakles with their own portrait once ruler-portraiture became common after Alexander's reign.

Grading and Condition at a Glance

Look for centering (whether the full design fits on the flan) and strike quality (whether Herakles's facial features and Zeus's throne details are fully struck up) as much as wear. Well-centered strikes with sharp lion-mane texture and clear Zeus detail are considered higher quality regardless of light circulation wear.

Authenticity Red Flags

Given the type's popularity and long production run, weight significantly below 17.2 g, blurred or "melted-looking" details, or a legend that does not read correctly in Greek lettering are signs of a cast forgery rather than a genuine hand-struck coin. As with other widely collected ancient types, comparing style, weight, and field marks to well-published references is the standard approach to attribution.