Unpublished in the Standard References

Kings of Thrace, Lysimachos AV Stater. Uncertain mint, 306-280 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander to right, wearing horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros enthroned to left, resting elbow on grounded shield, transverse spear behind; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, ΛΥΣΙΜΑ[ΧΟΥ] crowned by Nike to left, monogram to inner left. Marinescu -; Müller -; Seyrig Monnaies -.8.53g, 19mm, 12h.

Near Mint State; slight die shift to rev., struck in high relief. Unpublished in the standard references.

Privately purchased from Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung, inventory #111533.

Types like this beautifully detailed stater stand out among the coinages of the Diadochi due to the obverse portrait: the Thracian king continued to feature Alexander on his gold staters and silver tetradrachms even after the other Diadochi had ceased to depict Alexander. Lysimachos’ coinage represents Alexander as a distinguished and deified figure, his diadem and ram’s horns signifying his royal and divine status as king and son of Zeus Ammon. K. Dahmen identifies this notable numismatic design as an assertion of Lysimachos’ particular legitimacy as a successor to Alexander, elevating the living Lysimachos by association with the qualities of the late Macedonian conqueror (Dahmen, The Legend of Alexander the Great on Greek and Roman Coins, 2007, p.17). The reverse imagery attests to the Thracian king’s personal successes: the depiction of the war goddess Athena, with her Nike attribute crowning Lysimachos’ inscribed name, can be understood to refer to the king’s military achievements, specifically perhaps the Battle at Ipsos in 301 BC (O. Morkholm, Early Hellenistic Coinage from the Accession of Alexander to the Peace of Apamea, 1991, p.81).

Prior to the victory at Ipsos, as part of an allied coalition of successors, Lysimachos had only produced limited issues of tetrobols at Lysimacheia circa 306-301 BC. He had founded the city in the Chersonese in 309 BC, and with this military success Lysimachos gained considerably greater lands in western Asia Minor which included wealthy mint cities like Lampsakos and Abydos (O. Morkholm, Early Hellenistic Coinage from the Accession of Alexander to the Peace of Apamea, 1991, p.81). Lysimacheia became his principal European mint (Sear, Greek Coins and Their Values, Volume 1, 1978, p.162), but nonetheless gold staters in the name of Lysimachos, displaying an obverse Alexander portrait which stands out among the coinages of the successors, are very rare in high grade and consequently greatly sought-after.

Kings of Thrace, Lysimachos AR Drachm. In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Lampsakos, circa 301-296 BC. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated to left, holding sceptre; AΛEΞANΔPO[Y] to right, in left field, forepart of dolphin to left above forepart of lion to left, monogram below throne. Price 1440 var. (monogram); Bertolami 101, lot 722. 4.30g, 18mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; an apparently unpublished variant, only one other example on CoinArchives.

Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 91, 2 December 2021, lot 389.

206.

Kings of Thrace, Lysimachos AR Tetradrachm. Alexandreia Troas, circa 297-281 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander to right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros enthroned to left, resting elbow on grounded shield, transverse spear behind; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, ΛΥΣΙΜΑXΟΥ crowned by Nike to left, ram’s head in inner left field, star on throne. Thompson 151; Müller -; Meadows, Earliest 5; HGC 3.2, 1750h. 17.26g, 30mm, 9h.

Good Extremely Fine; lightly brushed, lustrous. Rare.

Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XXII, 7 October 2021, lot 264.

207.

2,400

208.

Kings of Thrace, Lysimachos AR Tetradrachm. Lampsakos, circa 297-281 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander to right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros enthroned to left, resting elbow on grounded shield, transverse spear behind; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, ΛΥΣΙΜΑXΟΥ crowned by Nike to left, torch in inner left field, star on throne. Thompson 43; Müller 381; SNG BnF 2538-9; HGC 3.2, 1750b. 16.97g, 29mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine.

Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XXII, 7 October 2021, lot 267.

1,800

Kings of Thrace, Mostis AR Tetradrachm. Byzantion, dated RY 38 = 102/1 BC. Sadalos, magistrate. Diademed and draped bust to right / Athena Nikephoros enthroned to left, resting elbow on grounded shield; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, MOΣTIΔOΣ to left, monogram in inner left field, EΠI ΣAΔAΛOY ETOYΣ ΛH (date) in exergue. Paunov, Coinage 18-20 (O4/R- [rev. die unlisted]); SNG BnF 277 (same obv. die); SNG BM Black Sea 309 (same obv. die); DCA 585 (this date unlisted); HGC 3.2, 1727. 15.78g, 34mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.

From a private European collection.

1,200