Help identifying this Greek Coin (1 of 2)

[EcoEstate]

I picked up these two greek coins from an estate sale recently. I'm trying to identify exactly what they are.

 

 

From what I can figure out this one has the head of Herakles on one side, and Zues seated with an eagle in one hand and a septer in the other. Under the eagle there appears to be a bat and a M and underneath the throne there is what appears to be a crown.

 

 

[thedeadpoint]

oooh... I am not an ancient coin collector so I can't help. However, some folks here can.

[Arminius]

It´s a cast replica of this type:

 

Kings of Macedon. Alexander III ‘the Great’. 336-323 BC.

Tetradrachm (for genuine coins: ca. 25mm, more than 17 g). Babylon mint.

Struck under Stamenes or Archon, circa 324/3 BC.

Obverse: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin

Reverse: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, club above M; monogram below throne.

catalogue Price 3640.

 

Casting bubbles, surface defects and missing sharp outlines are characteristic of this type of replicas uses as cheap supply for jewellery.

 

 

Regards

[EcoEstate]

I XRF'd this coin and the results were 86% Ag 12% Cu 1.2% Al .5% K and .17% Pd

[ccg]

As Arminius noted, it's a cast replica, and not a particularly good quality one at that.

 

There are some luxury makers like Bulgari who may use genuine pieces, but the majority of mass market pieces will be copies, the more expensive (e.g. ~ $50-100 retail in a tourist zone) ones often being made of 800 silver or better.