Ptolemaic Kingdom Ptolemy I 323-305 BC Silver Tetradrachm NGC AU Rare & Artistic

Description

Ptolemaic Kingdom Ptolemy I 323-305 BC Silver Tetradrachm NGC AU Museum Quality .
After the death of Alexander the Great. His empire was to be inherited by a son (yet unborn Alexander IV) and a half-brother- Philip III. However, neither were yet suitable rulers. So, the empire was instead ruled by a group of battle-tested generals, often called the Diadochi (“successors”), who had served Alexander as his trusted generals. Initially, all of them issued coins using the name and types of the deified Alexander III.
One of Alexander’s successors, Ptolemy I (as Satrap, 323-305/4 BCE), began issuing coins within the first few months of Alexander’s death. They looked just like Alexander’s featuring Hercules on the obverse, and a seated Zeus on the reverse.
After a few years of cool diplomatic maneuvering as Satrap. Ptolemy I began issuing coins with their own, original artistic designs, but featuring a deified Alexander wearing a elephant skin cap. The silver tetradrachm of Ptolemy I, below, is a rare transitional piece, for it bears a new design of Ptolemy I but was struck c.311-305/4 BCE, just before he assumed the title king in 305 BCE; hence Alexander III’s name is still used rather than his own.
The new design features a very artistic portrait showing the head of Alexander The Great wearing an elephant scalp headdress. On the reverse is a striding figure of the goddess Athena with raised spear and shield as if going into battle. Mint of Alexandria.
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