KINGS OF MACEDON. Alexander III ‘the Great’, 336-323 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 32 mm, 16.79 g, 12 h), Methymna on Lesbos, circa 188-180. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. AΛEΞANΔPOY Zeus seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and eagle standing right with closed wings in his right; to left, ΜΑΘΥ above kithara; below throne, monogram. Price 1696. Extremely rare. Light marks and with minor traces of cleaning, otherwise, very fine.


Unusually for a posthumous Alexander tetradrachm of this period, this extremely rare issue identifies the mint by name rather than relying solely on symbols and civic emblems. The inscription ΜΑΘΥ denotes Methymna and accompanies the kithara emblem. Its Aeolic A preserves a local dialect tradition that endured on Lesbos well into the Imperial age, with provincial coinage shifting to Ionic-Attic Methymna only under Commodus.