Ancients
THRACIAN KINGDOM. Lysimachus (305-281 BC). AV stater (19mm, 8.56 gm, 4h). NGC Choice MS 5/5 - 5/5. Lifetime issue of Magnesia (?), ca. 297-281 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander the Great right, wearing horn of Ammon / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY, Athena seated left, left elbow resting on shield, holding Nike in right hand, monogram within wreath in outer left field, monogram in exergue. Thompson –, cf. monogram of 101. Müller –. Extremely rare, apparently one of two known examples with these control marks. Well struck from dies of lovely style, with considerable luster around devices.
Ex NAC 52 (7 October 2009), lot 780.
The attribution of this attractive, but hitherto unrecorded piece is based on an identical monogram on a silver tetradrachm assigned by M. Thompson to Magnesia ad Meandrum in Ionia. While the gold staters of Lysimachus were widely imitated by the cities of Thrace over the following two centuries (see following lot), the delicate style of engraving on this piece clearly mark it as having been minted during the lifetime of Lysimachus.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD